Mask mandates are quickly becoming a thing of the past in the D.C. region: The last two local jurisdictions with mandates in place are lifting those requirements this week. Prince George’s County’s mask mandate expired Monday, while D.C.’s mask mandate is set to end Tuesday, as COVID-19 case rates fall around the region and the nation.

“I have waited a very long time to say that it is safe for us to do this,” said Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, in a press conference announcing her decision to end the mask mandate. “I’m thrilled beyond measure.”

Prince George’s was the last holdout in deciding to end mandatory masking; D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced two weeks ago that the District’s requirement would be ending, while Montgomery County lawmakers allowed the mandate to expire on Feb. 22. Many Virginians, meanwhile, have been going mask-free for months; on Tuesday a new state law goes into effect ending school mask mandates in the commonwealth. Meanwhile, Loudoun County also announced the end of its mask mandate in county-owned and county-operated facilities, effective Feb 26.

At the press conference, Alsobrooks spoke about the pandemic in the past tense, reflecting on her county’s challenges and successes battling COVID-19. “It’s been a frightening two years for so many of us,” said Alsobrooks, who tested positive for COVID-19 in December. But she also cautioned residents that the pandemic is not over yet. The end of the mask mandate, she said, “signals a transition into the next phase of our fight against COVID-19, but it does not mean that COVID-19 is gone from our community.”

County leaders pointed to data showing reduced spread of the virus. “The positive trends in all of our key metrics give us the confidence to lift the mask mandate,” said George Askew, deputy chief administrative officer for health, human services, and education in Prince George’s County. “We have the tools to keep each other safe and healthy.”

Prince George’s County now has a 7-day average case rate of 53 per 100,000 residents, with a positivity rate of just 2%.

The move away from required masking in the region matches up with new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC announced on Friday it would use new metrics to determine when masks are advisable, giving more weight to hospitalization rates and hospital bed usage, rather than the previous focus on case rates alone. Using this new metric, the entire D.C. area is considered low risk for COVID-19. The CDC now recommends universal indoor masking only in areas with high COVID levels.

Masks will still be required in schools in both Prince George’s County and D.C., as well as on public transportation. In D.C. masks will also still be required in child care facilities, public libraries, and other congregate facilities.

Monica Goldson, CEO of Prince George’s County Public Schools, said school leaders would continue to evaluate the mask mandate, but would keep it in place for the time being. “I’ve received lots of emails about the mask mandate, and majority of our parents have asked that we continue to keep masking because our youngest learners just had the opportunity to receive the vaccination,” Goldson said, referring to students ages 5 and above, who have been able to get vaccinated since November. The vaccine will likely be approved for children under 5 later this spring. “For our community, many of our parents have asked to keep the mask on,” Goldson said.

This story was updated to add information about Loudoun County’s mask mandate.