LA County to require masks on all public transit starting Friday

Starting Friday, Los Angeles County will once again require masks to be worn on all public transportation as well as inside airports.

During a Thursday afternoon briefing, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer announced that the county will issue a new COVID-19 health order effective Friday that will require masks to be worn on all public transit within the county, including buses, trains, taxis and ride-hailing service vehicles.

"Public transportation hubs that are indoors are places where there is A, a lot of mingling, B, they are often crowded, and C, in some of those settings it's really hard to have adequate ventilation," Ferrer said. 

The order will also require masks to be worn at all indoor public transportation hubs, including airport and bus terminals. 

"They are experts," Ferrer said. "They made a determination that at this point having that requirement in place is necessary for the public's health, and that resonates with us."   

In response to the health order, Metro Transit Agency issued a statement Thursday evening, saying:

"Following the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health issuing a Health Officer Order to note that masking in all public transit within LA County and in LA County indoor transportation hubs continues to be required, Metrolink will ask all passengers aboard Metrolink trains systemwide to once again wear a mask aboard all Metrolink trains and at station platforms effective Friday morning, April 22. Per the Order, masking is required by everyone, 2 years of age and older, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status aboard Metrolink trains. Just as we did Monday when Metrolink followed a federal directive to lift the mask mandate, we will continue to monitor the situation and adjust as needed with passenger safety as the focus."

Although the county doesn't have jurisdiction over whether people wear masks on planes, they do have control over masking within the airports.

According to Ferrer, the order is based on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's opinion that mask-wearing on transit remains an essential step in preventing the spread of COVID-19."

CBSLA's Joy Benedict was inside a train terminal in Universal City and saw people with and without masks Thursday.

She spoke with several travelers, and as expected, the results were as divisive as ever. 

"We don't need a mask," said one man. "All the time, politics (are) lying."

"If the city feels there is a need for that for better health public health, I don't see the problem," said another.

And some like Cole Bullock are just looking for a clearer picture. 

"I just wish we got a clear answer on the mask mandate, it just seems confusing," he said.

Benedict also spoke with several travelers at Los Angeles International Airport, where fliers will once again be required to mask up - at least inside of the terminals. 

Since the county can't mandate whether or not people wear their masks on the plane, which one man presumed would be "horrendous for some airline employees," passengers will be able to decide whether or not they want to de-mask mid-flight.

"I'm happy we don't have to wear it on the planes anymore it's easier to sleep and stuff," said one boy traveling through LAX with his parents.

"We're used to wearing masks now for two years," said another traveler. "It's not a big deal."

Meanwhile Thursday, the county reported 2,123 new COVID cases along with 13 deaths and 224 people hospitalized.

The last time the county reported over 2,000 new cases in a single day was on February 17.