Uber made headlines today by scrapping face mask requirements for passengers in the US, but in Mérida, you can expect to keep on your cubreboca.
“Ridesharing companies can rewrite their own policies all they want, but ultimately fall under the jurisdiction of local laws,” said Raúl Lopez Ojeda, a local lawyer.
Masks remain more prevalent in Mérida’s streets than they do in most of the United States.
Uber Technologies, and rival Lyft Inc., each made similar announcements after COVID cases fell sharply from their January peak.
Earlier, airlines including the carriers that connect Mérida with US cities, dropped face mask requirements after a federal judge ruled against a White House mandate.
Travelers on land and in the air have been masked for nearly two years. That ended suddenly Monday to mixed reactions.
Uber began requiring face masks in May 2020. Sometimes customers had to take selfies to prove they were wearing facemasks before the app would send a car.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends wearing a face mask in the case of certain high-risk factors or where transmission levels are high.
