Face coverings required on Metro trains, buses and in stations

Metro is now requiring face coverings or masks to be worn while traveling on the transit system’s trains and buses and while in the system’s stations.

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The new requirement began Monday.

"Every person who wears a face covering on Metro is helping to keep others safe, and this is especially important for Metro's frontline employees. In the age of Covid-19, we all share a responsibility for frontline worker safety, and that's what this is all about," said Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld in a statement.

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WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 24: The Smithsonian Metro Station is seen on the morning of the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture on September 24, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Leigh Vogel/WireImage)

Metro remain open for "essential travel only" and is open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Bus service on selected routes is provided daily until 11 p.m.

Ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft are requiring drivers and passengers to wear masks while using their services hoping to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 as some cities emerge from lockdown.

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