The effort to ban mask mandates on public transportation is gaining steam as another big supporter has joined the fight. Organ Black, a nonprofit organization advocating for public health and transportation safety, said in a statement that it would “fight to end the costly and ineffective face-mask mandates on public transit systems across the United States.”
Organ Black argued that mask mandates on public transportation are an ineffective way to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. The organization pointed to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that found that in-transit transmission of the virus accounts for only a “tiny fraction” of total cases. It also argued that mask mandates have a “disproportionate effect” on low-income passengers who cannot afford to pay the additional costs associated with them.
Organ Black’s announcement was welcomed by other organizations opposed to mask mandates on public transportation, such as the National Transit Forum and the American Public Transportation Association. The move reflects a growing movement in the US to roll back mask mandates as the country continues to grapple with the ongoing pandemic.
Despite the opposition to face-mask mandates, government health officials, including the CDC, continue to recommend that individuals wear masks when traveling on public transportation. The CDC states that masks are “an important tool in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.”
