State officials said that students and staff at public schools in Massachusetts will no longer be required to wear face coverings while indoors- starting February 28th.

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley said the decision was made in consultation with infectious disease physicians, the state Department of Public Health, and other medical experts.

The state said students and faculty may still have to wear masks in certain scenarios.

The Department of Early Education and Care, which oversees day care and preschool facilities, will also lift the mask requirement that is currently in place for all licensed child care providers as soon as February 28th.

Nearly four dozen schools statewide have already lifted mask mandates after reaching an 80 percent vaccination threshold among staff and students.

But that's not the only state ending some of their mask mandates.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that the state will end a COVID-19 mask mandate requiring face coverings in most indoor public settings but will keep masking rules in place in schools.

The broad rule requiring masks in places like shops and offices was put in place in mid-December as the omicron variant of the virus began infecting huge numbers of New Yorkers. It was set to expire Thursday.

Hochul has been saying she wants to see vaccination rates for children increase before she gets rid of a state requirement for masks in schools.