TAMPA, Fla. – Among the transportation providers to make masks optional following a federal judge's ruling that vacated the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's public transportation mask mandate were rideshare companies Uber and Lyft. It's a move that's concerning for some.

What You Need To Know

  • Rideshare companies Uber and Lyft said this week masks will now be optional during rides

  • The change follows a federal judge's ruling that vacated the CDC's public transportation mask mandate

  • One immunocompromised driver says this has added to her concerns as she considers returning to the road following a bout with COVID
  • The CDC has asked the DOJ to appeal the judge's decision

"It made it even more dangerous," said former Uber driver Dionne Jordan. 

Jordan told Spectrum News back in January that she's immunocompromised and was having trouble getting passengers to wear masks. The last time she spoke to a rider about it, it left her shaken.

"When he got out of the car, he called me a very negative name and told me, 'Oh, by the way, I just want to let you know I was diagnosed with COVID," Jordan said. "I thought, 'Why would you do that? I just told you that I wanted to go see my dad and that I am immunocompromised.' I think that's where I got it - that night."

She said her symptoms started days later. 

"I got really sick for about seven to ten days. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't lift my head. I had this weird fever. My body had the worst aches," Jordan said.

Jordan said she wasn't able to take a test when she first became sick because of how ill she was, but she believes she had COVID. Since recovering, she said she struggles with brain fog that's made it hard to remember conversations, concentrate and work. Jordan said she even lost one of her jobs because of it. To help with her sales position with AT&T and in daily life, she's now logging conversations.

"I'm looking at stuff trying to make sure that I remember," said Jordan. "I thought, 'man, can this be Alzheimer's?' But my neurologist said definitely not. This is definitely the COVID."

To help with the brain fog, Jordan said she's doing cognitive exercises. She'd also like to get back to driving for Uber, but the fact that masks are now optional is a concern. Two boxes sit by her front door for when and if she does go back. One contains masks and she said the other, an unopened Amazon box, holds a plastic divider she plans to use to separate her front and back seats.

"Every day, I look at it and I think, 'Just go put it up in your car because you need the extra money,'" Jordan said. "I do just what I'm doing right now. I look at it, and I put it back down. I tell myself I can't. I can't afford to drive because I can't afford to get sicker than what I am. I have already spent enough. I spent enough money in my health, in letting someone else disrespect me and then give me COVID on top of that. So, I tell myself everyday, 'Just go drive. You've got the safety measures, you're protecting yourself. Just do it.' But it's like from the trauma of being called names, the trauma of getting COVID, the trauma of being sick for days and not knowing exactly where you're at - it's more than I can handle."

The CDC has asked the Dept. of Justice to appeal the decision that overturned the mask mandate, saying the requirement is in the best interest of public health.