Statewide mask mandate for New Jersey schools ending in March, governor's office says

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy will end a statewide mask mandate to protect against COVID-19 in schools and child care centers, his office said Monday. The requirement goes into effect March 7 and comes as New Jersey's caseload drops after a spike around the holidays fueled by the Omicron variant.

The governor is expected to announce the development and answer questions at a news conference Monday. Local school districts will continue to have the flexibility to require masking if needed, a state official familiar with the decision confirmed to CBS News.

New Jersey was one of just a dozen states with mask mandates in schools, according to the nonpartisan National Academy for State Health Policy.