Mask up, travelers.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has extended through Sept. 13 the requirement travelers wear masks, including those who are fully vaccinated. The requirement applies to airports, commercial aircraft, over-the-road buses and commuter bus and rail systems.
The agency’s initial face mask requirement went into effect on Feb. 1, with an expiration date of May 11.
“The federal mask requirement throughout the transportation system seeks to minimize the spread of COVID-19 on public transportation,” Darby LaJoye, the acting TSA administrator, said in a news release.
“Right now, about half of all adults have at least one vaccination shot and masks remain an important tool in defeating this pandemic,” LaJoye added. “We will continue to work closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to evaluate the need for these directives and recognize the significant level of compliance thus far.”
The extension follows announcements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that fully vaccinated travelers can travel domestically at low risk to themselves and fully vaccinated Americans do not need to wear masks outside.