After determined advocacy by the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) and others, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that effective immediately it will no longer enforce mask wearing requirements on outdoor spaces aboard passenger vessels and other transportation modes.
The CDC also recommended to the Coast Guard and other federal agencies that they also will no longer enforce mandatory mask wearing in outdoor spaces.
It will take several days for the CDC to formally amend the mask order. PVA considers the announcement to effectively end the mask policy for outdoor decks. The Coast Guard is expected to issue a change to Marine Safety Bulletin 02-21 to align with the CDC rule modification.
For now, the CDC continues to maintain the mandatory mask policy for indoor spaces on passenger vessels. PVA will continue to urge that the CDC relax its mask wearing requirements for in indoor spaces and align its rules for passenger vessels with shoreside venues.
