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To: All transportation companies

Masks Keep Travel and Communities Safe and Accessible

COVID-19 remains a deadly threat for millions of people. We call on transportation companies around the nation to follow the masking guidelines recommended by the CDC and to encourage all travelers to use public travel safely. Protecting people like my son is not a hardship; it’s a basic tenet of public health.

Why is this important?

People at high risk and their family members have a right to be able to attend school, to work, and to travel, just like everyone else. Requiring masks in public transportation settings is an important measure that can keep vital parts of the community safe and accessible for everyone.

I am the mother of three beautiful children: a kind and sensitive Lego lover, a spunky son who tackles every challenge with a smile, and a confident and feisty daughter.

My hilarious and spunky middle child also has several disabilities. He spent the first 11 months of his life in the hospital and has a history of chronic respiratory failure. He also has a tracheostomy and requires a ventilator to help him breathe. He had a stroke shortly after his second birthday, which puts him at risk of clotting issues. Our family embraces everything about each of my kids—including disability, which we view as just another part of life and parenthood!

As you can imagine, my son’s health conditions put him at extremely high risk of developing serious complications were he to contract COVID-19. Also, my 4-year-old is not yet eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19, leaving her at increased risk as well.

I am grateful for the decisions the Biden administration has made to prioritize the health and safety of individuals with disabilities and those who are immunocompromised. But the recent decision by a Florida judge to strike down the transportation mask mandate could have devastating consequences for my family and so many others. Please know that mask mandates on public transportation are indispensable to families like mine.

Time and time again, we've seen COVID-19 measures be relaxed, only for cases to rise, leading to more and more preventable deaths. It's unacceptable.

More than a million people have already died in the U.S. from COVID-19. Continuing to protect those at risk by maintaining basic public health protections during a pandemic is not a hardship; it is the bare minimum we must do to protect the health of our country.

Category

Updates

2022-06-30 18:49:26 -0400

20,000 signatures reached

2022-06-07 12:05:35 -0400

10,000 signatures reached

2022-06-06 17:33:43 -0400

5,000 signatures reached

2022-06-06 11:31:33 -0400

1,000 signatures reached

2022-06-06 11:06:23 -0400

500 signatures reached

2022-06-02 17:08:21 -0400

100 signatures reached

2022-06-02 16:48:54 -0400

50 signatures reached

2022-06-02 16:43:10 -0400

25 signatures reached

2022-06-02 16:40:46 -0400

10 signatures reached