TSA extends mask use on public transportation until April 18

Passengers on public transportation will have to continue wearing masks at least until April 18. The Transportation Security Administration extended Thursday its security directive for mask use, which had been set to expire on March 18.

The extension comes at the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to an administration official, which will help government agencies with a framework to revise their policies regarding mask requirements on public transportation and in transportation hubs.

The revised framework "will be based on the COVID-19 community levels, risk of new variants, national data, and the latest science," the official said.