Boston urges masks as battle brews over transit rule

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and LINDSAY WHITEHURST
Associated Press

Boston has urged people to start wearing masks, and the Biden administration is weighing its next legal step in a court fight over the abrupt end of the national mask mandate on airplanes and mass transit. In early April, Boston followed New York, Los Angeles and other major U.S. cities in relaxing pandemic restrictions as officials pushed for more normalcy after two grueling years of the pandemic. Philadelphia last week became the first big city to bring back a mask mandate, responding to a rise and infections and hospitalizations. The Boston Public Health Commission cited a 65% increase in cases in its decision Thursday.