The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has issued an order requiring travellers in the US to wear masks as part of a new initiative aimed at stemming outbreaks of the coronavirus.

According to the 11-page order issued on Friday, travellers entering and transiting throughout the country will be required to wear face coverings in all transportation hubs, which the CDC defines as including any “airport, bus terminal, marina, seaport or other port, subway station, terminal, train station, US port of entry or any other location that provides transportation”. The language of the order largely puts the onus on transit operators to enforce the rule.

“Conveyance operators must use best efforts to ensure that any person on the conveyance wears a mask when boarding, disembarking and for the duration of travel,” the document said.

New York Times News Service