WAYNE COUNTY — Wayne County officials said in a press release that they are expecting to lift the mask mandate by Feb. 28, joining counties like Oakland and Washtenaw.

The decision comes from a downturn in daily COVID-19 cases over the last month and the most significant decline over the last week.

“We are encouraged by the lower case counts along with corresponding decreased positivity rates and hospitalizations,” the county said in a press release. “Based upon the current downward trends, the Wayne County Health Department anticipates ending its emergency order requiring face masks in educational settings by Feb. 28, 2022.”

Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans said that he is cautious.

“I completely understand and sympathize with everyone who is sick and tired of COVID and just wants to move on with their lives,” he said. “The only note of caution I would issue is that we also thought that COVID was essentially done with us last summer, only to see it come raging back. That was the reason for our caution. Hopefully the past will not be a prologue this time. This time I think we can feel hopeful that the light at the end of the tunnel is for real.”

The county said it continues to closely monitor key indicators and will provide updates to enable schools to plan accordingly.