City Hall, Duval County libraries drop mask requirement after new CDC guidance

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lifting mask requirements on people who have been fully vaccinated, what can people expect when walking into city-run buildings in Jacksonville?

At Jacksonville City Hall on Friday, no masks were required and temperature checks were no longer being conducted. City Council chambers are open and no social distancing is required. Notably, News4Jax saw many employees in city offices still wearing masks.

It’s the same situation at Duval County public libraries. At the main library downtown, a sign is still posted that asks people to wear a face covering, but staff said it’s not required.

Many people inside the library, including employees, were still wearing masks.

At the Duval County Courthouse masks are not required if you are going there to do business with the Clerk’s office. But inside each courtroom, coverings are still required.

Kenneth Babbitt was at the court house with his two children. They were all wearing masks.

“Anytime I go somewhere with a bunch of people, I always make sure they have their mask on,” Babbitt said. “My daughter has bad asthma.”

At the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts, where the Jacksonville Symphony and other performances take place, masks are still required, but the policy is under review.

For international travel, the CDC recommendations said fully vaccinated people don’t need to be tested for COVID-19 unless such testing is a requirement of the destinations.

The guidelines recommend that fully vaccinated people get tested only if they experience COVID-19 symptoms.

A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving second doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or two weeks after receiving the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.


About the Author

Jim Piggott is the reporter to count on when it comes to city government and how it will affect the community.

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