Rep. Steve Cohen asked the Federal Aviation Administration to mandate that passengers wear face masks in airports and on airplanes to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
The Tennessee Democrat penned a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield, explaining that he recently had to fly between Washington, D.C., and North Carolina on a flight that he considered to be “unsafe” because passengers were not wearing masks aboard the plane.
“There were several factors that contributed to this being an unsafe and uncomfortable situation, including that the majority of flight attendants — both working and traveling — did not have on personal protective equipment (PPE) or even cloth face coverings, over half of the passengers did not have any type of cloth face covering, and many persons and off-duty personnel talked and traversed within the aisle,” Cohen wrote. “Because of this, each person’s health and safety was unnecessarily put at risk.”
He continued, “Unfortunately, no matter how you configure seating, social distancing at six feet on an airplane is difficult. But we know that masks are one of the most effective tools to mitigate people’s risk of exposure when those around them are also wearing masks. As air travel continues to increase while the country slowly starts to reopen, it’s imperative that the flying public feel safe and comfortable in doing so. This should include the requirement of masks, which will accomplish this goal and protect both crew members and passengers.”
Cohen asked that the officials advise airlines to require that passengers and all employees working in airports aboard flights wear face masks during flights.
The CDC guidance on wearing face masks has shifted since the outbreak began. The center now advises people to wear face coverings while in public to stop the spread of the coronavirus. They have asked that the public not use N95 medical-grade masks because of the shortage of protective equipment for medical workers.
