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Feelings of cautionary relief among Detroit Metro Airport travelers following lifting of CDC mask order

By and Jack Nissen
Published  April 19, 2022 7:25am EDT
Coronavirus in Michigan
FOX 2 Detroit

Masks no longer required on airplanes, public transit

Detroit Metro Airport was full of maskless travelers Tuesday morning, less than a day after the government's mask restrictions on commercial flights and other public transportation options was shot down by a judge.

ROMULUS, Mich. (FOX 2) - It didn't take long for customers and airline companies to react to a federal judge's order that lifted the government's restrictions on masks Monday. In fact, it didn't take more than a few minutes for some. 

"I’ve been going up and down this coast, south Florida to New York for about 35 years… my company announced at this moment if you choose to you may remove your mask," a staff member aboard a JetBlue Airway flight Monday, according to video obtained by Storyful. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended their mask mandate in public transit and commercial flight settings until May 3. But on April 18, a federal judge from Florida shot down the order, saying the CDC had overstepped its boundaries. 

It was the latest example of the country scaling back its pandemic-era restrictions for the purpose of public health. 

In Detroit, the feeling from many of the travelers mimicked that of flights midday Monday - excitement and relief.

RELATED: These major U.S. airlines are dropping mask requirements

"I think it's great, I think it's gone on way too long, I think it's beyond excessive," said one woman.

"Very glad. Get back to normal," another man said

"We do still have other variants in other countries. I still think we should be safer than sorry," said a third individual, who still wore her mask.

While the CDC's order doesn't stand, it is still recommending that passengers wear masks on public transportation. 

RELATED: Experts wary of Michigan's pandemic progress as cases tick back up

COVID-19, the virus that prompted the wave of restrictions that continue to be lifted today, has fallen off the map in many states. Both case rates and hospitalizations remain well below the levels that previous surges caused. 

But what the future holds in Michigan and elsewhere remains to be seen. Cases were last reported to be ticking back up in Michigan. The presence of variants and offshoots from more harmful strains is still a threat to public health, as is the waning immunity from vaccine shots and boosters.