Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Tuesday that mask and vaccine mandates will be lifted for certain indoor settings in line with other Democrat-led states and cities that have made similar — and what some have said premature — moves over the past few weeks.

Lightfoot announced Chicago will lift the mandates Monday, Feb. 28. As in other Democrat-led entities, the city's mayor cited significant declines in hospitalization numbers and the total number of COVID-19 cases from the latest “Omicron surge” as a reasons for lifting the mandates.

She also announced that the city would drop proof of vaccination requirements. Individual businesses and indoor gathering spaces are free to evaluate their own mask, vaccine, and proof of vaccination policies in line with their overall policies.

“It's important for us to recognize this moment for what it is, a huge step forward in our effort to overcome COVID-19,” Lightfoot said on the matter.

“We have endeavored to be transparent as possible,” Lightfoot said. “Currently our metrics continue to trend in the right direction . . . We will remove the indoor mask mandate and the vaccine requirement for certain public locations on February 28 . . . in alignment with the states previously announced plans.”

Statewide mask and vaccine mandates in Illinois will also be lifted on the same day. However, Lightfoot clarified that there are public spaces that will be exempt from the lifting of current mandates.

“Masks will continue to be required on public transit, in health care settings, and other congregate spaces,” Lightfoot clarified, citing federal and CDC guidance.

Chicago public schools will also be required to adhere to mask mandates as one of those “congregate spaces.”

“While so many things about this virus and its variants have been unpredictable . . . my goal is to make sure that we never have to shut down our economy again,” Lightfoot said. “But make no mistake, I will not hesitate . . . to take the steps that are necessary to protect lives in this city . . . This is a good news day for us.”

Lightfoot echoed sentiments from the Biden administration against additional lockdowns should cases and hospitalizations rise or another variant emerg, but she clarified that she does not have a “crystal ball.”

"No one can predict the future at this time, and guidance must reflect the realities — COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, deaths, etc. — of each area and situation on a day-to-day, month-to-month basis," Lightfoot said.

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