Originally Posted by
Starchild
In the past ATC has changed the requirements for a thru hike. I believe 2016 or 2017 ATC accepted SoBo thru hikers who hiked from Katahdin to Hot Springs as thru hikers. That was because of the multiple wildfires AT south of there BUT also the hazardous dry conditions that could become wildfires. Also in the past ATC allowed vehicle bypassing of hazardous sections, now I believe such requirement is to walk the roads around the hazard instead. ATC has set the standard for it's purpose, and can change it when a change is deemed needed.
In the case of the pandemic it's not as simple as the probability of thru hikers spreading the coronavirus, but the perception of it in trail towns and the possibility of a 'hot zone' around trail towns. ATC has worked very hard with the trail towns and some areas can still be hostel to hikers (due to how the AT corridor was taken from the people there). Maintaining good relations with the trail towns is arguably part of ATC's mission, and even if you don't agree with that, ATC does.