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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is extending its travel mask mandate for another 15 days amid an uptick in COVID cases.
“Since early April, there have been increases in the 7-day moving average of cases in the U.S. In order to assess the potential impact the rise of cases has on severe disease, including hospitalizations and deaths, and health care system capacity, the CDC Order will remain in place at this time,” said CDC spokesperson Kristen Nordlund on Wednesday.
“The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has decided to extend the security directive and emergency amendment for 15 days, through May 3, 2022.”
This comes after the Biden administration extended the mask mandate in early March to April 18 despite airline CEOs calling for an end the ineffective mandate.
NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci praised the CDC’s decision but lamented that the extension is not long enough.
“I think making a decision for April 18…I would agree that we really do need more time. It isn’t like things are static. Things are moving, we’re seeing an increase throughout the country,” Fauci said on MSNBC, adding the extension would “be a prudent thing to do.”
MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell to Dr. Fauci on the CDC extending its mask mandate 15 days: “Why only 15 days?”
Fauci: “I would agree we really do need more time” pic.twitter.com/OuALjtAFeE
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) April 13, 2022
Sen. Rand Paul, a vocal opponent of the travel mandates, said the CDC’s move was “no surprise,” and called for Americans to “vote out these petty tyrants” who support these arbitrary mandates.
No surprise — Biden continues to mandate wearing ineffective masks on planes —time to vote out these petty tyrants https://t.co/X5hPML38IZ
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) April 13, 2022
Despite the uptick in reported COVID cases in the U.S., hospitalizations and deaths continue to decline, according to Department of Health and Human Services data.