With Monday’s announcement that a federal judge in Florida struck down the federal mask mandate for public travel, people across the country are greeting the news with mixed reactions. While an appeal of the ruling is still possible, there is joy, confusion, and anxiety over the announcement. Redmond Municipal Airport Director, Zach Bass, says they are excited and happy to see customers mask free faces but respects that for many, the choice to wear a mask is optional as many airlines are now indicating. If anything changes, Bass says the airport will immediately adjust. Just days before the mask mandate was struck down US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the mandate would be extended through May 3rd. The US Surgeon General based their decision on increasing rates of Covid-19 and sub-variants.
