CHICAGO — Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Tuesday he was ending the state's mask mandate on public transportation a day after a federal judge overturned the government’s plan to keep restrictions in place until May 3.
Masks will no longer be required on public transit, in public transit hubs, or at airports. However, local governments can maintain their own mask mandates on public transportation.
“I’m proud of the work our state has done to fight COVID-19 and protect our most vulnerable,” Pritzker said in a news release. “I continue to urge Illinoisans to follow CDC guidelines and, most importantly, get vaccinated to protect yourself and others.”
Acting Illinois Department of Public Health Director Amaal Tokars said the agency "is closely monitoring the status of COVID-19 throughout Illinois and working with our local public health partners to keep the public informed.” Acting Illinois Department of Public Health Director Amaal Tokars said in the release
A decision ending the federal mask mandate on aircraft and public transit was issued Monday by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Tampa. The decision said the order exceeds the authority of U.S. health officials and that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention improperly failed to justify its decision and did not follow proper rulemaking.
Afterward, the Transportation Security Administration said it would no longer enforce a mask the mandate, and numerous airlines announced their mask mandates were ending immediately.
