The White House blocked an order proposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month that would have required all passengers to wear face coverings on public and commercial transportation as well as in stations, The New York Times reports. Even Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, a political ally of President Donald Trump, supported the order, but Vice President Mike Pence reportedly barred discussion of the mandate in Coronavirus Task Force meetings, saying such a decision should be the purview of state governments. The White House and President Donald Trump have repeatedly clashed with federal agencies and overridden the advice of career doctors and scientists throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Public health officials, including the director of the CDC, largely agree face coverings are effective in slowing the spread of COVID-19.
