U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Michel, in Tampa, ruled that the rule exceeded the authority of U.S. health officials in the coronavirus pandemic. He added that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had failed to justify their decision and had not followed the right rules. In its 59-page decision, Mizelle said the only solution was to evacuate the rule altogether, as it would be impossible to terminate for the limited group that objected to the lawsuit. The judge said: “A limited remedy would not be a cure at all.” He added that the courts have full authority to make such a decision – even if the CDC’s anti-virus targets are commendable. “Because our system does not allow the services to act illegally even for the pursuit of desirable purposes, the court declares it illegal and cancels the mask order,” he wrote. Michelle has been appointed by former President Donald Trump. The American Bar Association described her as “unqualified” to serve as a federal judge when she was appointed. It was confirmed by a Republican-controlled Senate in a partisan vote. Florida Gov. Ron de Sandis, who did not attend the trial but has fought against many of Covid-related restrictions, wrote on Twitter: “It is wonderful to see a federal judge in Florida follow the law and reject the Biden transfer mask command. “Both the airline staff and the passengers deserve to have this miserable end.” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said it was “obviously a disappointing decision” and that the CDC “continues to recommend the use of a mask on public transport”. The Justice Department declined to comment Monday when asked if the government plans to appeal the ruling. The CDC recently extended the transfer mask mandate, which was due to expire on May 3, to give more time to study the Covid-19 BA.2 Omicron subtype, which is now responsible for the vast majority of cases in the United States. Well-placed, high-quality masks help control the transmission of Covid-19 by preventing people from spreading virus-laden droplets or inhaling those expelled by others. The lawsuit was filed in July 2021 by two plaintiffs and the Health Freedom Defense Fund, a team that has filed lawsuits against vaccine orders and masks in many school districts and municipalities. The group’s leader, Leslie Manookian, appeared in anti-vaccine and anti-mask protests and produced a film that supposedly looked at the link between vaccines and autism. Such a link has been debunked by a valid study, the original document claiming that such an association could exist was revoked as fraud and the author of the paper had his medical license revoked. Both airlines and Republican members of Congress have sought to kill public transport mask orders. The airlines claimed that air filtration in modern aircraft makes the transmission of the Covid-19 unlikely. Planes have also been the scene of many violent incidents during the pandemic. Most have been attributed to disagreements caused by mask usage requirements. Republican critics, meanwhile, have acknowledged that cases have dropped sharply since the Omicron outbreak peaked in January, and states have since withdrawn mask requirements in shops, restaurants and other indoor areas. That made the demands on travel hubs, such as airports, inconsistent, Republicans said. Cases have risen slightly since early April, but hospitalizations have remained stable. About 82% of all people over the age of five have received a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, according to the CDC.
