On April 18, a federal court judge ended the federal transportation face mask mandate, deeming it an overstep of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authority. Almost immediately, airlines responded by making face masks on flights optional. The White House continues to urge travelers on all modes of transportation (air, rail and public transit) to continue to wear face masks to reduce virus transmission, particularly for those most vulnerable to developing a serious case of COVID-19.
At the national level, the seven-day moving average of new confirmed cases has increased by over 200% since it hit a low of just under 25,000 on March 29. With more people using at-home tests, the actual number of new infections is likely significantly higher.
But what about Transportation Security Administration officers at airport security checkpoints? How have they fared since the mask mandate ended?
