Biden’s COVID Doc Calls Mask Ruling ‘Deeply Disappointing,’ Admin Weighing Appeal

The White House’s top COVID response coordinator, Ashish Jha, MD, who has turned himself into a TV star since COVID rolled into town, is having trouble processing this whole new world where a federal airplane mask mandate is history.

Jha called decision by a Trump-appointed federal judge “disappointing” and said the courts should have given CDC scientists 15 more days to make their own “data-driven durable decision.”

But in a bold move, President Biden’s top COVID doc won’t say that the administration should appeal the court’s decision.

24 hours ago, a federal judge vacated @CDCgov mask mandate on airplanes

This was deeply disappointing

CDC scientists had asked for 15 days to make a more data-driven durable decision

We should have given it to them

But I'll continue to follow CDC guidance & mask up on planes

— Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@AshishKJha46) April 19, 2022

Meanwhile, Little Red Lying Hood Jen Psaki said the administration is still calling on Americans who have long ago moved on from the pandemic to follow COVID guidance from the CDC. “We’re continuing to encourage people to wear masks,” Psaki said Tuesday aboard Air Force One.

Then, when Air Force One landed, President Biden was asked whether Americans should keep wearing masks on planes.

“It’s up to them,” the President told reporters.

Psaki says the decision to appeal is now up to the Justice Department. “Public health decisions shouldn’t be made by the courts. They should be made by public health experts,” Jen added.

The President says one thing. The press secretary says another. Imagine that. Another day of the Biden presidency.

Great to see a federal judge in Florida follow the law and reject the Biden transportation mask mandate. Both airline employees and passengers deserve to have this misery end.

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 18, 2022