A group of Democratic and Republican senators has sent a letter asking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) when they will update their mask guidelines for travelers, The Hill reported on Sunday.
The senators said that they want answers by July 12, stating that “As there has not yet been any change in the requirement for masks while traveling, we request an update on the CDC’s and TSA’s process for updating the mask requirement for fully vaccinated individuals and what the science is showing about the transmission of COVID-19 for fully vaccinated individuals while traveling.”
The letter was sent just days after Democrats defeated a bill from Republican Sens. Rick Scott and Mike Lee that sought to revoke the requirement ordered by the Biden administration for wearing masks on public transportation.
The letter — which was sent by Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii; Roger Wicker, R-Miss.; Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; Susan Collins, R-Maine; and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., — asked five questions.
Among their queries was whether lifting mask mandates for those who are fully vaccinated would spur others to also get vaccinated and if doing away with the requirement to wear masks for those who are fully vaccinated would cause any administrative difficulties.
The senators stated in the letter that “If the requirement for wearing masks while traveling can be safely lifted and would serve the public health interest, then we believe it would benefit the traveling public,” adding that “We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and hard work in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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