US to extend federal transportation mask mandate for another 15 days

The US Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention has planned to extend the federal transportation mask mandate for another 15 days, CNN reported citing a Biden administration official.

The mandate is now set to expire on May 3 which was earlier scheduled to expire on April 18.

The main intention behind the extension of the mask mandate was to collect more information and understanding of the BA.2 variant of the virus, as per reported by CNN citing the administration official familiar with the decision.

"Since early April, there have been increases in the 7-day moving average of cases in the US. In order to assess the potential impact, the rise of cases has on severe disease, including hospitalizations and deaths, and health care system capacity, CDC is recommending that Transportation Security Administration (TSA) extend the security directive to enforce mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs for 15 days, through May 3, 2022," the official was quoted as saying by CNN.

"This will give additional time for the CDC to learn more about BA.2 and make a best-informed decision," The official added.

According to Johns Hopkins University's data, the US is now averaging 38,345 new Covid-19 cases per day.

Cases are increasing in more than half of the US except one state in the Northeast, Delaware, however, the daily rate is still one of the lowest since mid-July.

As per the data from the CDC, Omicron BA.2 caused 86 per cent of new COVID-19 cases nationwide last week.

The White House Covid-19 Response Coordinator Dr Ashish Jha said on Monday that the CDC planned to share a scientific framework this week for the federal transportation mask mandate, according to CNN.