Maryland’s Board of Education on Feb. 22 voted to lift the statewide mask mandate it imposed in 2021. Members voted 12–2 to rescind the mandate. Authorities noted that COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are declining nationwide as well as in Maryland, that COVID-19 vaccines are available to all Americans 5 and older, and that there has been an increase in COVID-19 treatments. “The conditions are better, there’s more testing, there’s more vaccines that are readily available,” Maryland State Superintendent Mohammed Choudhury told the board before the vote. “My stance is it’s time to give it back to local control so they can make the responsible decision.” Several members said they wanted the board to postpone the vote over concerns metrics could bounce back up in the coming weeks. “I have a responsibility to be prudent, and I just feel like we’re, like, a couple of weeks too early, and a couple …