Mask Mandates on Public Transit: Joint Statement from Disability & Aging Advocates
Washington, D.C. – Following the recent court decision striking down the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control’s mask mandate for public transportation, more than 120 disability and aging organizations and advocates released the following statement:
People with disabilities fought for decades for the right to safe, accessible transit. Those rights and our ability to participate in our communities, connect with our families, get to work, and access healthcare have all been put at risk by this decision. We are relieved that the Biden Administration will seek to appeal the decision.
Let us be clear: we are still in a pandemic, and COVID-19 is still killing hundreds of people across the United States every day. Although we all wish the pandemic were over, cases are rising yet again, Congressional inaction has left treatments and information about treatments scarce, and the vaccine has yet to be approved for young children. High risk and immunocompromised people are in danger.
Eliminating masking requirements on transit increases the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 faced by those who rely on transit to engage in community life. Disabled people of color are among the most frequent public transit users, and for many use of a personal vehicle is not an option. Until this latest wave has subsided, community transmission rates have dropped, vaccinations are accessible to all ages, and treatments are readily available, we urge all transportation providers including transit agencies, bus companies, airlines, railway systems and ride-sharing businesses to protect everyone, especially young children, people with disabilities, immunocompromised individuals, and older adults most at risk, by continuing to require masks.
ACA Consumer Advocacy
Accelerate Global, LLC
Alliance Center for Independence
American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare
American Association of People with Disabilities
American Council of the Blind of Maryland
American Council of the Blind of Connecticut
American Council of the Blind of Minnesota
American Council of the Blind of Nebraska
American Council of the Blind of Texas
Arizona Health Care United
Atlantis Community Inc.
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
Bay State Council of the Blind
Be A Hero
Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled (BCID)
California Disaster Coalition
COVID Survivors for Change
CFI
Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s
Detroit Disability Power
Disability Lead
Disability Policy Consulting
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
Foundation for Integrative AIDS Research (FIAR)
Freedom from Covid
Georgia ADAPT
Guide Dog Users, Inc.
Gulf Coast ADAPT
Health Care Voices
IMPACT
Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco
Justice in Aging
LIFTT
Little Lobbyists
Medical Impact
Michigan Disability Rights Coalition
Michigan Elder Justice Initiative
Missouri Council Of The Blind
Missouri Guide Dog Users, Inc. (MGDU)
National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
National Association of the Deaf
National Disabled Law Students Association
National Domestic Workers Alliance
National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse
National Respite Coalition
Neighborhood Access
Network for Long COVID Justice
Network of OT Practitioners with Disabilities & Supporters
New Jersey Disability Collective
New York Lawyers for Public Interest
Not Dead Yet
Organic Acidemia Association
OT Leaders & Legacies Society
Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies
Pennsylvania Council of the Blind
Progress Center for Independent Living
Progressive Doctors
Right 2 Safe Schools Arizona
Right to Health Action. (r2haction.org)
Spina Bifida Resource Network
The Arc of the United States
The Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Action Network (#MEAction)
Touch the Future Inc
U.S. International Council on Disabilities
URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity
World Institute on Disability
Your Sober Future
Alex Sinnott
Anna Landre
Anne W. Gunter, M.A.
Annemarie Gibson
Ashley Sinha
Brian J. coppola
Chris Bell
Christina Bergin, MD
Christine Hunsinger
Debby Hill
Diane Coleman
Germán Parodi
Haben Girma
Harriotte Ranvig
Jan Garrett
Jeanette Kutash
Jesse Schwartzman
Jill Levy-Fisch
Jo taliaferro
John D. Smith
Johnesia McKenzie
Jon Corn
Judy Zeprun Kalman
Karen Gourgey
Karin Korb
Kay Bell
Linda Faust
Lori Bruce, MA, MBE, HEC-C
Margie Donovan
Matthew Cortland
Matthew Purinton
Melissa Hickson
Mia Ives-Rublee
Michele Mashburn
Millie Gonzalez
Mollie McLeod
Nora Sobolov
Penny Reeder
Priscilla Garces
Rupa Valdez
Seth Trueger, MD, MPH, FACEP
Sharlene Ornelas
Shaylin Sluzalis
Shirley Cain
Susan Blumberg-Kason
Swatha Nandhakumar
Thomas Gibson
Vincent Martin