Beginning Monday, the City of Huntsville will not require fully vaccinated individuals to wear masks or practice social distancing measures in City buildings or offices.

The decision mirrors newly issued guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says it’s safe for fully vaccinated individuals to not wear face coverings indoors in most cases. The White House and Congress announced it would also drop masking requirements for anyone who is fully vaccinated.

A fully vaccinated person is one who has had both rounds of the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Anyone who is not fully vaccinated should continue to wear a face cover and stay six feet away from others while visiting or working in city offices.

The city’s decision to ease masking and social distancing requirements does not determine practices established by other city-owned properties. Mayor Tommy Battle said those groups should follow their own guidelines.

“This is a sign that hopefully we are moving beyond the pandemic and getting back to a sense of normalcy,” he said in a news release. “I strongly encourage anyone who has not been vaccinated to do so as soon as you can.”

During Thursday’s Huntsville-Area COVID-19 update, officials announced there are plentiful vaccine supplies in Huntsville and Madison County. The Madison County Health Department is accepting walk-in appointments, while Huntsville Hospital’s vaccination clinic at John Hunt Park is still in operation.

Those who need to schedule a vaccine appointment can visit HuntsvilleHospital.org, ALCOVIDVaccine.gov or Vaccines.gov.