ARLINGTON, VA. (NewsNation Now) — While several Democratic states have removed or announced changes to sweeping indoor mask mandates, that does not apply to transportation, regulated by the federal government. 

Masks are still required to ride buses, trains and planes. In a statement to NewsNation, the Transportation Security Administration said the mandate is “currently in effect until March 18.” 

Only a handful of states including Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, New Mexico and Illinois, as well as Washington, D.C., are still requiring masks. 

So far, the CDC is sticking to its guidelines, while 96.5 percent of the country still meets the CDC’s standard of high transmission based on case rates. Some public health officials are arguing hospitalizations are better metrics on which to base case rates. 

CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said there are no announcements on changing the mask guidance. 

“Our hospitalization rates are high.” Walensky said during a press briefing. “Our death rates are still high. So as we work towards that and as we are encouraged by the current trends, we are not there yet.”

The White House is following the CDC’s guidance, despite hospitalizations dropping dramatically from record highs in January. 

But even airlines are pushing back against the mask mandate. Airline CEOs including Southwest Airlines’ Gary Kelley testified before a Senate committee meeting in December 2021 and suggested masks on planes don’t do much. 

“I think the case is very strong that masks don’t add much,” Kelley said. “If anything, the air cabin environment is very safe and very high-quality compared to any other indoor setting.” 

Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to the president, suggested in a recent interview that masks on planes could be a norm indefinitely, saying it would be prudent.