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

Laura Hatcher