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President Biden signs an executive order mandating mask-wearing on planes and national parks

All federal lands are under the order's purview.

Anna Ben Yehuda

The first order of business for newly sworn-in President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.: signing an executive orders asking all citizens to wear masks inside buildings and on land controlled by the federal government. What that means is that you'll actually now have to don facial coverings by law on planes, buses, trains and even national parks.

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Of course, this shouldn't come as a surprise: Biden had already made it clear that COVID-19 would be the primary focus of his presidency upon taking residence in the White House.

The decision to ask folks to wear masks on planes comes at the heels of various airline company's pre-established policies demanding that all travelers do so and refusing to board them if unable to comply. Of course, a federal mandate makes those requirements that much more stringent.

The above-mentioned executive order also includes a "100 Days Masking Challenge," by which Americans are asked to protect themselves with masks for at least 100 days starting yesterday. The latter portion of the President's order can't necessarily shift individual states' policies but Biden is expected to place calls all around the country asking leaders to follow through with his decision.

The President clearly had a very busy first day in office: he also extended the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's eviction moratorium through March and signed an order to expand pandemic relief policies... all the while enjoying his swearing-in and inauguration extravaganza. 

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