Boston will lift its state of emergency on April 1

Boston will soon end its COVID-19 state of emergency — a measure that was enacted on March 15, 2020 when the virus first struck the city. City health officials Wednesday unanimously voted to lift the declaration on April 1, citing improvements in key metrics like hospitalizations and deaths. 

“Today’s announcement is a testament to how Boston came together in a historically challenging time to lift up public health and community,” mayor Michelle Wu said in the statement.

The news comes shortly after the city lifted its proof-of-vaccine and indoor mask mandate. According to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, high-risk people in just one Massachusetts county — Hampshire County — should continue wearing masks. Every other county has a “low” COVID level. 

But New Englanders must continue to wear masks on planes and public transportation until April 18, the Transportation Security Administration announced this week.