Boston on Friday ended a disputed COVID-19 vaccine mandate for businesses that was in effect through Jan.
Stores, gyms, restaurants and other indoor venues in the city of about 700,000 people will no longer require customers to show proof of vaccination.
Mayor Michelle Wu said in a press release on Friday that the percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19 had fallen to 4%. He had earlier said that the mandate would expire when the rate fell below 5%, the AP reported.
The news comes after Massachusetts health officials decided earlier this week to drop their indoor mask guidance for those who are fully vaccinated.
Boston will still require its residents to wear masks in public indoor places.
Wu previously told Insider that the city was waiting for vaccination rates to increase so residents would be "completely free to go about their lives." The goal was to stop the spike in cases caused by the Omicron type. About 71 percent of the city is fully vaccinated.
In the press release, Wu said that lifting the mandate was "a victory for every Bostonian who has played their part to keep our communities safe." He said: "We have to keep going."
The Massachusetts Restaurant Association criticized the vaccine mandate in January over its financial implications. The association estimates that the restaurant is losing up to $15,000 per week as a result.
Earlier this month, however, the city's head of economic development, Segun Idowu, told Insider that the vaccine mandate had come into force at the request of the city's small business owners.
The city has recorded 1,686 deaths and 163,024 cases of COVID-19 till Wednesday.
The mayor's office did not immediately respond to an insider's request for comment, which was done outside of normal working hours.
Boston's director of public health, Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, said in the statement that the city's response to the pandemic is guided by science. She said: "We will continue to make data-driven decisions in our mitigation and response strategies to keep everyone safe."