SSA lifts mask mandate on ferries

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The Steamship Authority is lifting its mask mandate immediately. — MV Times

One day after telling the Steamship Authority board that they would continue to impose a mask mandate on ferries, the SSA has reversed course and is lifting the mandate to wear a face covering for employees and passengers.

“On Tuesday, April 19, 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard issued an updated Marine Safety Information Bulletin regarding COVID-19 Safety Requirements in the Maritime Transportation System. In it, the Coast Guard stated that it will no longer enforce directives regarding mask use on public transportation and in transportation hubs,” a release from the SSA states. “Accordingly, the Steamship Authority will no longer be requiring masks to be worn at its terminals or on its ferries. Masks are also no longer required on its shuttle buses in accordance with a similar directive issued Tuesday by the Federal Transit Administration.”

The directive follows a federal court ruling that shot down federal mask mandates, despite recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that recommends wearing masks while riding on public transportation. 

“This change is effective immediately, although customers will continue to see mask signage on vessels, on buses, and at terminals in the short term while we update those materials,” the release states. “We thank our employees and their customers for their cooperation and assistance.”

The SSA was slow to implement a mask mandate early on during the pandemic, refusing to do so until it was ordered. Throughout the pandemic, the SSA has faced public scrutiny for failing to enforce the mandate and for some of its own employees failing to comply.

 

19 COMMENTS

  1. How many Americans would be dead of Covid if mask use had been prohibited?
    Vaccines?
    Thank God you are not the President.

    • The CDC’s latest policy tracker info decisively shows no impact where mask policies where used vs. no masks. This is the basis of all of the recent changes. Following the science in 2020, when there were more hypotheticals than absolutes, is different from following the science in 2022 — when we have 2 years’ worth of data. I’d post a link but not sure if I should post a link to an outside site here! Congrats to SSA for making a great decision!

      • It’s been my experience that people who claim to have something, but won’t share it don’t actually have it. So if you have it, post it.

        • Hi Jim (and moderators), this is my second time trying to post these links. Hopefully it’ll work this time with the explanations, not just the links.

          https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FQKGsPTXsAg5v_S?format=jpg&name=medium Here is a screenshot of the CDC’s really handy “Covid by County” interface with masking vs. non-masking communities graphed against each other.

          You can find the same info yourself on the site, it’s just not possible to link to the customized graphs without it going back to the landing page, as you’ll see. Here is the link to the tracker: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html

          • Heidi– Thank you for posting something that looks legitimate– But I have bad news for you– It’s a lie.
            Worse– I know you know it’s a lie.
            How do I know that ?
            Because , first off. every page on the CDC’s
            website starts with “cdc.gov.” and is linkable .
            But I have to give you some credit for linking to the real CDC as a distraction. Another reason I think you know your graph is a lie.
            Your “screenshot” starts with “pbs”– you, or whoever your handler may be, knows that many liberals trust what they hear on PBS. but pbs.org ( the trusted media outlet which stands for “public broadcasting service” ) is very different than “pbs.twimg” ( a lying right wing blog that stands for “photo blobstore” )
            But for whatever reason you have decided to post this dangerous lie, I thank you for exposing the lowest levels of our society and letting me expose you and the lies that are pandemic in our community. Shame on you.
            And just to set the record straight– Here is some honest information :
            “according to a study conducted by the CDC in Kansas, following Gov. Laura Kelly’s July 2020 mask mandate on a county-by-county basis, the 24 counties with mandatory mask mandates saw an overall decrease in COVID-19 cases, while the 81 counties that opted out of the mask mandate continued to see increases in cases. Similarly, research conducted by Vanderbilt University’s Department of Health Policy in October found that COVID-19 death tolls were twice as high in Tennessee counties without mask mandates as compared to counties with directives in place. Gov. Bill Lee has not initiated a mask mandate in the state, deferring to local leaders.”
            https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/these-are-the-states-with-mask-mandates

      • Heidi– You say you’re not sure if you should post a link to an outside site here.
        Really ?
        Trust me– you can —
        And the editor will likely allow it, even if it’s a little off topic, like this;
        https://www.mediaite.com/weird/watch-what-is-happening-in-this-trailer-full-of-shirtless-muscley-men-for-tucker-carlsons-new-documentary/
        Real men, after all, don’t need a mask, so this is a bit more on topic than it seems.
        Anyway , If you post it,I will read it. But since you are stating that “The CDC’s latest policy tracker info decisively shows no impact where mask policies {were} used vs. no masks” , I ask that you post something that might actually have something to do with the CDC.
        Thanks

        • Hi Don. The moderators just took awhile to post my links (hence the double post). Occasionally they have blocked my links, but maybe it’s because they didn’t like the information I was sharing. This is the age of “misinformation” after all.

          But Don, you’re reading a conspiracy theory into the screenshot link I provided, and your theory is incorrect — the host site is Twitter. Not some right-wing conspiracy site.

          Don, you ask that I post something that actually has something to do with the CDC — I did, I posted the Covid by County link from which that twitter account got his screenshot. You can conduct your own research using that tool. But maybe you prefer USNews. I get that we don’t all have spare time do study all this stuff.

  2. Honestly surprised they didn’t keep the policy. They have their own policies separate from state and federal with respect to Covid and other matters. Masks are quite popular.
    At the least, they could have areas for people who would like to have everyone covered up. There are plenty of immune compromised people that travel. An are where they can feel a bit more comfortable would be nice.

  3. It’s NOT a good idea—that Palmer BUS jammed packed and NO MASKS what are they thinking, I commute daily 7am WH/ 7pm WH. I have had ALL 4 vaccines and I have a 95 yr old mother, who I see EVERY DAY.. I test negative(MASK) at work weekly IF I GET IT I’m SUEING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    WTH _ UGH

  4. Heidi–The moderators occasionally block my posts also.
    Could you consider the idea that they are not blocking your posts because they “don’t like it” but because it is if a flat out verifiable lie that some people will believe and it may have consequences that result in a negative consequence for the general public ?
    The point is that the screenshot of the graph you posted was a fake chart that the CDC did not produce. You claimed it came from the CDC. — It did not— You knew that– no conspiracy theory here— the fact is that you said that graph was on the CDC site–it is not.

    That graph was posted by a right wing website known to post untrue things.
    That twitter account did not get it’s screenshot from the CDC — It got it from pbs.twing
    The fact is that your fake chart is fake fake fake—
    I can give you a little slack, as people are gullible and believe information that fits their agenda. But I won’t let you off the hook for claiming that your fake chart came from the CDC
    I would be taking a different tact here if you had said that the chart you chose to post came from a right wing source that posted it on twitter. I would be criticizing them. But you said it came from the CDC that is not true, Heidi–
    You know it.

    As a long time commenter here,let me give you some unsolicited advice—
    Take at least a little time to make sure that your posts have some credibility.
    You might get called on it.

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