��������

Washingtonians can start dropping their masks inside schools and many businesses on March 12, under Gov. Jay Inslee’s  But “can” doesn’t necessarily mean “should.”

Inslee sped up the timeline on Monday after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released  that focus less on test results and more on what’s happening at hospitals. The new federal approach is intended to allow people in communities where COVID-19 is easing to take a “break” from masking.

Not every community in Washington state falls into that category, though. The state has a wide range of risk levels, and residents of a high-risk county might work and shop in the low-risk county next door. The CDC is offering an interactive map to help you understand the risk level in each place and make decisions accordingly.