The Biden administration had no good options after a federal judge invalidated its mask mandates on public transportation Monday. Pushing back on the court’s ruling would put the administration at odds with a great many Americans who are tired of pandemic restrictions and anxious to resume normal life. On the other hand, the coronavirus still poses a danger to society, especially in the tight spaces of trains and planes.
The administration ultimately decided to appeal, based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As frustrating as that may be to many, it would make no sense — and set a dangerous precedent — to let one judge overrule federal health experts on government policy during a health crisis. The experience of Missouri on that judicial score should be a warning of the consequences to come, this time immersing the entire nation in pandemic-precaution chaos.
Unlike earlier in the pandemic, it isn’t irrational today to suggest ending mask mandates. Vaccination rates are high and, although coronavirus infection rates are again on the rise, death rates aren’t. Even some medical experts say it’s time to drop the mandates, if only so an exhausted public doesn’t start tuning out medical guidance altogether.
