After years of inconvenience and confusion, it appears as though Americans are going to steal back at least one semblance of normalcy from the coronavirus pandemic, and it’ a big one.
The Biden administration’s CDC-backed mask mandate has been officially neutered by a federal judge this week, ending the requirement for public transportation patrons to wear face coverings on buses, airplanes, and commuter trains. The ruling was succinct and stern, and the DOJ appears as though they aren’t looking to challenge the ruling in court.
Now, in the wake of this decision, both Uber and Lyft have also lifted their requirements for their rideshare patrons.
Uber Technologies and Lyft Inc have scrapped face mask mandates for their riders and drivers in the United States, the ride-hailing companies said on Tuesday, as COVID cases have fallen sharply from their Januray peak.
Lyft, which also ended requirements for the vehicle windows to be kept open and for the front seat to empty, said health safety reasons will no longer appear under cancellation options on its app.
Uber, which introduced mask mandates for its drivers, riders and delivery workers around the world in May 2020, said that riders will have the option to cancel their trip if they feel uncomfortable with revocation of the mask mandate.
The move is certainly going to garner a great deal of applause from Americans, who’ve been wholly unenthused about the continued requirement to wear masks in certain societal situations.
