Ledbury politicians have spoken of their delight that Covid cases are beginning to fall in the city.
The latest figures show cases had fallen by 25% in the seven days to January 15.
North Herefordshire MP Bill Wiggin praised residents for being stung and sticking to Covid rules.
“The people of Ledbury have embraced the vaccination program and responsibly protected each other,” he said.
“These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the vaccination program combined with the diligence of the Ledbury people who have routinely followed government advice and acted sensibly.
“We saw this before when Herefordshire was downgraded to Tier 1 restrictions in December 2020 while many other parts of England were subject to stricter regulations.
“The people of Ledbury deserve all the benefits that comes with reduced risk of transmission and it is thanks to them that the Government is now able to lift the Plan B measures put in place before Christmas.”
Mr Wiggin said he also hoped “people who doubted the vaccine” would reap the benefits of a lower risk of infection.
Ledbury Mayor Andrew Manns said: “Hopefully the number of Covid infections in Ledbury and the surrounding area will continue to fall.
“Once restrictions are lifted we should still exercise caution and care where necessary to ensure numbers do not start to increase again.
“I really hope that we are getting closer to the end of the virus so everything goes back to normal and we can all get back to living our lives. I am very confident that business and trade will pick up even more and the city’s economy will flourish.”
Ledbury North councilor and Herefordshire Council deputy leader Liz Harvey said the relaxation of rules was good news for pupils, who will no longer have to wear masks.
However, she added, “Individuals and families should continue to consider their own household and work circumstances when considering whether and when to withdraw their own personal measures.”
Cllr Harvey is also looking forward to life in Ledbury getting back to normal.
“One of the special things about living in Ledbury is the friendly way people greet each other on the street, make eye contact, smile and say hello,” she said.
“I have noticed that Covid distancing and mask-wearing has made this difficult.
“If the easing of government guidelines results in this beautiful feature of Ledbury life being more widely embraced then it will definitely be something to smile about.”