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Normal Drops Mask Requirements For Fully-Vaccinated People

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Staff
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WGLT
Fully-vaccinated patrons and employees in Town of Normal facilities will not be required to wear face coverings, under an emergency order issued by Mayor Chris Koos on Thursday.

The Town of Normal is relaxing mask and social distancing requirements for public facilities and employees, following guidance from Gov. JB Pritzker's administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Masks will no longer be required for people who are fully vaccinated in town facilities or public right-of-ways, under an emergency order issued by Normal Mayor Chris Koos on Thursday.

The order states those who are not fully vaccinated must still wear a mask and socially distance, when possible, but offers little information on verification or enforcement.

The town will leave it up to businesses to decide whether to enforce mask mandates or social distancing practices, according to Koos.

"The town has always followed the guidance of the CDC and state and local health officials and will continue to do so," Koos said in a press release. "Private businesses will make their own decisions about guidance they provide to employees and customers.”

The emergency order requires businesses to ensure all employees who are not fully vaccinated to "practice social distancing and wear face coverings when social distancing is not always possible." Businesses are only asked to encourage patrons to do the same.

Fully-vaccinated people will still need to wear masks on the first floor of Uptown Station, a public transit center that includes Amtrak. The Children's Discovery Museum also will ask visitors to wear masks, in accordance with state guidelines for educational facilities.

Read the full emergency order here.

Dana Vollmer is a reporter with WGLT. Dana previously covered the state Capitol for NPR Illinois and Peoria for WCBU.
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