Governor Hogan on Monday announced that the mask mandate in state buildings will end next week.
Effective Feb. 22, masks will no longer be required for employees and visitors in all state buildings and leased space in public or shared spaces.
“Given the dramatic declines in our health metrics, we are now able to take another step toward normalcy in state operations,” Hogan said in a news release.
The announcement comes as Hogan continues to call on the Maryland State Board of Education to lift its statewide school mask mandate, citing “substantial declines” in the state’s COVID-19 metrics.
As of Monday, Maryland’s positivity rate has dropped to 3.77%.
While Maryland’s COVID metrics are improving, community transmission levels remain high across the state, and some experts have said that it may be too soon to lift mask mandates.
Hogan’s office also announced that the state will continue to offer paid leave for state employees to get their booster shots.
