NEW YORK CITY – Tourists visiting the Big Apple told Fox News it should be a personal choice whether anyone wears masks on public transportation.
"It’s not what the people want," Mark, who was visiting from California, told Fox News. "The majority of people I believe are against that decision to appeal" and reinstate the mask mandate.
A federal judge on Monday blocked the mandate requiring masks on public transportation. Some public transit systems, airlines and ride-sharing services quickly lifted their own mask mandates.
The Department of Justice, at the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, appealed the decision. The mandate "remains necessary for public health," the CDC said in its request.
Mark, a visitor from California, tells Fox News the majority of Americans don't support an appeal to reinstate the mask mandates (Megan Myers/Fox Digital)
TRAVELERS REACT TO MASK MANDATE ENDING: "IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OVER A LONG TIME AGO"
Dina and Trish, who were visiting from Zachary, Louisiana, both said they opposed the Biden administration's appeal. Trish called it a "manipulation tactic" and said the government wanted "more control."
Mark similarly said "controlling people" is part of the Biden administration's agenda.
John, visiting from Boston, said the decision to appeal was "absurd."
"To have this one-size-fits-all ruling is so simplistic," John said. "It’s mind-boggling."
Teriana, who was visiting from Minnesota, said everyone should "be respectful to everyone’s opinions" about whether they want to wear a mask.
"If you feel uncomfortable with other people not wearing a mask, then that’s okay," she told Fox News. "You can wear your own mask or you could stay home. If you don’t want to wear a mask that’s okay too."
But the New York tourists are in the minority, according to recent polling. An Ipsos survey conducted immediately after the mask mandate was lifted reported that 76% of adults supported mask requirements on airplanes and in airports.
Trish and Dina, visiting the big apple from Louisiana, tell Fox News they are "100%" for the public transportation mask mandate being lifted (Megan Myers/Fox Digital)
Mark said mask mandates should be considered on public transit relative to the severity of COVID-19 at that time.
"Today, it seems like it’s each person’s personal choice," Mark, who said he wore a mask on the subway to be safe, told Fox News. "If people have health issues, they can wear it."
John, visiting from Boston, told Fox News he was recently on an airplane and estimated about "95%" of people went maskless after announcing it was optional (Megan Myers/Fox Digital)
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Trish said the government should "let us make our own decisions" on masks.
"We all did what we were supposed to do, we played by the rules, [and] now it’s time to move on," from all mask requirements, Trish said.
Dina said: "We are adults. We can think for ourselves."
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