Gov. Jay Inslee has accelerated his timetable for ending Washington’s mask mandate in businesses, schools and most public places. In concert with Oregon and California, mask mandates on the West Coast will end after March 11. Inslee had earlier said the mask mandate would end March 21.

This follows last week's announcement by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that loosened public-health guidelines on face coverings in the 70% of American counties where Covid-19 posed a low or medium threat to hospital capacity.

Of Washington’s 39 counties, nine are considered high risk; 16 are medium risk; and 14 are low risk, including King County, the state’s most populous, The Seattle Times reports.

“We’ve continued to monitor data from our state Department of Health, and have determined we are able to adjust the timing of our statewide mask requirement,” Inslee said in the joint statement with leaders from California and Oregon. “While this represents another step forward for Washingtonians, we must still be mindful that many within our communities remain vulnerable. Many businesses and families will continue choosing to wear masks, because we’ve learned how effective they are at keeping one another safe.”