South Portland dropped its city-wide indoor mask mandate Wednesday, four weeks after it was enacted to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 transmissions.

The mask mandate inside municipal buildings will end on Thursday.

The city-wide mandate was put into effect  Jan. 24 due to the rise in the spread of COVID-19 as a result of the omicron variant. It created controversy, spawning arguments for and against it from residents and businesses at City Council meetings and workshops in January.

Six out of seven councilors at a workshop Tuesday were in favor of lifting the mandate, according to a press release from the city.

In the release, the city also encourages residents to continue to to wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.