'The View's' Sunny Hostin declares love for mask mandates, complains she doesn't want 'COVID breath' on her
The federal mask mandate for travelers is currently set to expire on April 18
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The View" co-host Sunny Hostin declared her love for mask mandates Tuesday as she denounced the scheduled lifting of the federal requirement for travelers to wear masks on airplanes, trains and in transit hubs later this month.
"I want the masks!" Hostin exclaimed during a segment focused on the state of the coronavirus pandemic, complaining that she didn't want the mandate to end because she didn't want to be on an airplane with other people breathing on her "with their COVID breath."
Sunny Hostin, co-host of ABC's "The View," discusses mask mandates during the show's April 12, 2022 broadcast. (Screenshot/ABC)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Co-host Joy Behar began the segment by noting that the city of Philadelphia had reinstated its indoor mask requirement in response to a rise in cases of the omicron BA.2 subvariant of the coronavirus.
Co-host Sara Haines chimed in, expressing her desire for people to take the coronavirus vaccine and booster shots, but stated that her views on masks had changed as the virus's variants had changed.
"I don’t think right now we need federal and state mandates, with the exception of travel. Airplanes are Petri dishes of recycled air," she said, adding that, alternatively, it was "not necessary" or "prudent" to have federal or state governments constantly remove and reinstate additional mandates.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She argued that continually changing the requirements would "sow distrust" towards efforts to fight the pandemic and that it was time to start focusing on the recovery of the economy and businesses.
"The View's" Sara Haines (Photo by Heidi Gutman/ABC via Getty Images)
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When the discussion came to Hostin, she blamed "irresponsible" Americans for not taking proper precautions before any mandates were put in place, claiming people couldn't be trusted to protect their fellow man.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I think when it comes to mask mandates, they're there because people just aren’t great people. That’s just the bottom line. Americans just aren’t great to each other. We just aren’t," Hostin said.
"When it comes to things like flying, the mask mandate is supposed to be lifted April 18th. I don’t want to get on a plane with super-spreaders. I don't want to get on a plane with 214 other people that are going to be breathing on me with their COVID breath. I don't want it. I don't want it. I want the masks!" she exclaimed, appearing frustrated.
Philadelphia's decision to reinstate its indoor mask mandate runs in contrast to CDC guidelines, which state that people in counties with low community transmission should choose whether to wear a mask based off their "personal preference."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to the CDC, Philadelphia County's community risk level is still low.
People traveling by plane during COVID 19, wearing N95 face masks, carrying luggage in airport terminal. (iStock)
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The federal mandate requiring all travelers to wear masks is set to expire on April 18, meaning masks will no longer be required on airplanes or trains unless the Biden administration extends the order.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dr. Ashish Jha, the administration's COVID-19 response team leader, said earlier this week that continuing the mandate was "absolutely on the table."
Fox News' Paul Best contributed to this report.