United States health officials restated their recommendation that travellers in the US wear masks on planes, trains, and buses, despite a court ruling last month that struck down a national mask mandate on public transportation.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday that people aged two and older should wear a well-fitting masks while on public transportation, including in airports and train stations, recommended, citing the current spread of coronavirus and projections of future COVID-19 trends.

For months, the US Transportation Security Administration had been enforcing a requirement that passengers and workers wear masks.

The government had repeatedly extended the mandate, and the latest one had been set to expire May 3. But a federal judge in Florida struck down the rule on April 18. The same day, the TSA said it would no longer enforce the mandate.

The CDC asked the Justice Department to appeal the decision, which the department did. On Tuesday, CDC officials declined to comment on the status of the appeal. DOJ officials did not immediately respond to a request for information.