John Kerry caught without a mask on Boston-to-DC flight
The former Massachusetts senator and Democratic presidential nominee was seen without a mask while reading a book on an American Airlines Boston-to-DC flight Wednesday in violation of a host of mask mandates.
“Masks are required on board our aircraft, and we are looking into this,” an American Airlines spokeswoman told the Herald.
Kerry’s Climate Communications team at the State Department said they were working on a statement, but one did not arrive by press time.
The Tennessee Star, that first broke the story, reported Kerry was “not eating, nor drinking,” in his first-class seat just before takeoff from Logan International Airport.
Masks are required before, during and after flights, according to the airlines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and even President Biden, Kerry’s boss.
“We need everyone to get vaccinated. We need everyone to keep washing their hands, stay socially distanced, and keep wearing the masks as recommended by the CDC,” Biden said in his address to the nation last week.
The CDC ordered on Jan. 29 that all passengers in U.S. transportation hubs must “wear masks when boarding, disembarking, and for the duration of travel.”
The CDC adds: “This Order must be followed by all passengers on public conveyances (e.g. airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis, ride-shares) traveling into, within, or out of the United States.” It did not list an exception for climate change envoys.
Dr. David Hamer, director of the Travel Clinic at Boston Medical Center and professor of global health at Boston University, said anyone ditching a mask while traveling — even if they have been vaccinated — is asking for trouble.
“Being vaccinated is not a passport to do anything you want,” Hamer said. “We still need to be cautious until the transmission levels go to a very low level.”
He said vaccinated people, likely including Kerry since he’s in Biden’s inner circle, can still spread the virus and possibly catch it, too.
“We still have a lot of COVID out there,” Hamer added. “The most important safety measure is to wear a mask.”
Kerry’s apparent cavalier attitude was extreme enough to have a fellow passenger snap his photo.
It also sparked a twitter storm with Donald Trump Jr. posting: “SPOTTED: Liberal hypocrite & Biden Admin official @JohnKerry flouting @JoeBiden’s Federal mask mandate. NOTE: His mask is off & he isn’t eating or drinking. Will he be fined for breaking the law & banned from flying @AmericanAir like regular citizens would be?”