Covid-19: US judge strikes down mask mandate for public transport

File picture of travelers lining up with protective face masks indoors at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Florida voided the national travel mask mandate on Monday (April 18) as exceeding the authority of US health officials. - Photo: AP Photo

WASHINGTON (AFP): A United States federal judge on Monday (April 18) struck down the Covid-19 mask mandate for public transportation imposed by the administration of President Joe Biden, prompting major airlines to quickly drop the requirement.

US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle of the Middle District of Florida said the mask mandate exceeded the statutory authority of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).