Gov. Ron DeSantis called the public transportation mask mandate “COVID theater” on Thursday.
In his statement to reporters in Okaloosa County, the Governor criticized the continued mask mandate, mocking perceived absurdities in the Transportation Security Administration’s ongoing federal rule.
“This is theater. This should not be extended. It should have never been done in the first place, but clearly now, this is a farce, and so they need to repeal the transportation mask mandate,” DeSantis said. “Let people fly and let them breathe normally.”
The Transportation Security Administration announced on Thursday it would extend the mask requirement until April 18.
The extra month will allow the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to draft new, more focused rules that will take into account the number of COVID-19 cases nationwide and in local communities, as well as the danger of new variants, according to TSA.
As of now, TSA has enforced this rule across all modes of transit, including planes, buses and trains.
The CDC no longer recommends face masks in public indoor settings because more than 98% live in locations with low or medium COVID-19 case levels as of Thursday.
As the COVID-19 outbreak continues, DeSantis has been a vocal opponent of mask mandates.
“We’ve got to stop with the theater,” DeSantis added. “There are more people that would want to fly but they know they don’t want to have to do this. … If the airline is going to hassle the family about masking a two-year-old or a three-year-old, it’s not an easy thing to do, trust me, I know.”
The United States Senate passed a resolution this week rescinding the most recent extension of the regulation, which has previously been extended twice, but there is no indication that the House would vote on it.
In a statement, Airlines for America asked the Biden administration to repeal both restrictions.
The Transportation Security Administration increased the fines for refusing to wear a mask on public transportation to $1,000 for first-time offenders and $3,000 for repeat offenders in September.
