Poll: Majority Say Ending the Federal Mask Mandate Is a Good Decision

A majority of Americans say ending the federal mask mandate is a good decision, a Rasmussen Reports survey released Friday found.

“A federal judge recently struck down a policy requiring airline passengers to wear masks to protect against COVID-19. Is ending the mask mandate a good decision or a bad decision?” the survey asked, referencing the decision of United States District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, who deemed the Biden administration’s mask mandate illegal. 

Most, 51 percent, said it is a “good decision, while one-third, 34 percent, said it is a “bad decision.” Opinions are divided along party lines, as 72 percent of Republicans said it is a good decision, compared to 51 percent of Democrats who believe it is a bad decision. A plurality of independents, 48 percent, said it is a good decision, compared to 31 percent who said it is bad to remove the mask mandate. 

The survey also asked respondents if they believe the Chinese coronavirus is “still major public health threat,” and 51 percent said the danger is “mostly over.” Most Republicans and independents, 70 percent and 53 percent, respectively, agree with that assessment, but 61 percent of Democrats believe the virus is “still a major health threat.”

The survey was taken April 20-21, 2022, among 1,000 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of +/- 3 percent. 

The battle over masks is not over yet, however, as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave President Biden’s Department of Justice the go ahead to appeal the judge’s ruling. 

“It is CDC’s continuing assessment that at this time an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health,” the federal health agency said in a statement, adding that it believes the rule to be “a lawful order, well within CDC’s legal authority to protect public health.”

Despite that, U.S. airlines have expressed relief, making masks optional for both employees and passengers, as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is not enforcing Biden’s rule at this time.