COVID's Not Over Yet: CDC Says Most European Travel Is 'high Risk', Mask Mandate For Transit Voided, More

Here's a look at COVID news for today, April 18.

Florida judge voids travel mask mandates

A federal judge in Florida has voided the national mask mandate covering airplanes and other public transportation as exceeding the authority of U.S. health officials in the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision Monday by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Tampa, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, also said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention improperly failed to justify its decision and did not follow proper rulemaking. Read more on the decision here:

CDC overhauls its travel warning list

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unveiled its new system for travel risk assessments on Monday.

Many European nations are now considered at "high" risk for Covid-19, along with other marquee destinations around the world.

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In the new system, the Level 3 "high" risk category applies to destinations that have had more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days. Learn which countries got the designation here:

Increase in at-home COVID testing could mean that we're undercounting cases

As the number of Covid-19 cases grows in the United States, experts wonder if the country fully understands the current threat from the pandemic.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates that only 7% of positive Covid-19 cases in the US are being detected, meaning case rates are actually 14.5 times higher than officially reported. The last time the infection detection rate was this low was at the outset of the pandemic, in March 2020. Read more on what that means here:

Get more of today's COVID-related stories here:

Photos: Scenes from the 1st White House Easter Egg Roll since 2019

President Joe Biden appears with first lady Jill Biden and the Easter Bunny on the Blue Room balcony at the White House during the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Andrew Harnik

President Joe Biden appears and salutes with first lady Jill Biden and the Easter Bunnies on the Blue Room balcony at the White House during the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Andrew Harnik

President Joe Biden speaks as first lady Jill Biden and the Easter Bunnies look on, on the Blue Room balcony at the White House during the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Andrew Harnik

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, walk out to participate in activities during the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, at The White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Susan Walsh

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, walk out to participate in activities during the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, at The White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Susan Walsh

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, walk out to participate in activities during the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, at The White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Susan Walsh

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, walk out to participate in activities during the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, at The White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Susan Walsh

Children participate in the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, at The White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Susan Walsh

The White House is decorated for the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, at The White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Andrew Harnik

Actress Kristin Chenoweth reads to children during the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, at The White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Andrew Harnik

Children participate in the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, at The White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Andrew Harnik

Children participate in the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, at The White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Andrew Harnik

Children await the beginning of the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Andrew Harnik

The White House is decorated for the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Andrew Harnik

Colored eggs await the beginning of the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, at The White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Andrew Harnik

The White House is decorated for the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Andrew Harnik

The White House is decorated for the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday, April 18, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Andrew Harnik

People walk on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 18, 2022, during the White House Easter Egg Roll. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Andrew Harnik

Brightly colored eggs are set on a table on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 18, 2022, during the White House Easter Egg Roll. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Andrew Harnik

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CDC Shakes Up Travel Advisory - Removes All Countries From Level 4 Travel Warning List