by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 9:33 AM ET, Thu December 2, 2021
The Biden Administration has unveiled that it is extending the federal transportation mask mandate through March 18, 2022, due to the newly discovered Omicron variant.
The extension of the mask mandate was published in a White House press release early November 2. The mask mandate, which impacts all public transportation including buses, trains and airplanes, as well as their indoor terminals and airports, was previously extended to January 18, 2022.
The news is part of the Biden Administration's plan to halt the spread of COVID-19. The White House also announced new COVID-19 testing requirements for all travelers entering the United States, regardless of vaccine status or nationality. Beginning next week, everyone arriving in the U.S. will be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within one day of departure.
Fines for non-compliance will be doubled from their previous level, with a minimum fine of $500 for first-time offenders and fines of up to $3,000 for repeat offenders.
The federal transportation mask mandate has been a contentious issue in a variety of different ways. Some debate that it's pointless, while others would rather get rid of the mandate in favor of requiring all passengers to be fully vaccinated, as Canada has done.
Noncompliant passengers also have a risk of becoming physically violent, as we've seen so many times this year. Over 5,000 violent incidents have occurred in the past year, with plenty of them fueled by a mixture of alcohol and noncompliance to federal protocols, especially when it comes to the mask mandate.
The federal transportation mask mandate is here to stay, at least through March 18, 2022.
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