Flynn Cruiseport will no longer require its passengers to wear masks when checking in for their cruise in Boston after a federal judge ruled Monday to overturn the federal requirement in transportation hubs.
The airline industry was the first to react. Almost immediately, carriers and airports across the country began informing travelers that masks were no longer required.
After a 24-hour silence, the U.S. Coast Guard released an amendment to its Maritime Transportation system requirements stating that it would no longer enforce the mask requirement.
Meanwhile, this port announced that masks are now “optional” at both cruise terminals and “on Massport-operated busses.”
Note that Flynn Cruiseport receives a massive number of passengers from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian each year.
But it’s possible that this good news will not last long.
The U.S. Department of Justice said Monday that it will overturn the Florida judge’s ruling if the CDC concludes that mandatory masks on public transportation remain necessary.
The department today filed an appeal seeking to overturn the Florida judge’s decision after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked it to do so.
The CDC issued a statement Wednesday saying the mandate “remains necessary for public health.”
“CDC continues to recommend that people wear masks in all indoor public transportation settings,” the CDC’s statement continued.
“CDC’s number one priority is protecting the public health of our nation. As we have said before, wearing masks is most beneficial in crowded or poorly ventilated locations, such as the transportation corridor.”
The White House, however, has shown mixed signals after Florida’s ruling.
While officials stated that Americans should follow the CDC’s advice even if it was not necessary, the president himself stated that masking up requires greater flexibility.
“That’s up to them,” Biden declared during a Tuesday visit to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.