The cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., are not mere trees and flowers. They are an event. Every spring, the only time of year when living in Washington feels like the right decision, the city throws a three-week festival. Businesses decorate their doors with pink banners, and thousands of tourists eager to see the Jefferson Memorial covered in pink and white hues travel to the district to enjoy the first hints of summer.
But for the second year in a row, the city is shutting down access to the bloom and telling tourists and residents alike: Stay away.
The National Park Service announced last week that it would limit all vehicular and pedestrian access to the bloom hot spots (the Tidal Basin, which is where the Jefferson Memorial sits, East Potomac Park, and West Potomac Park) “to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.” Officials shut down most of the roads and freeway exits near these areas, and officers on bikes are monitoring foot traffic. National Park Service spokesman Mike Litterst also warned that the restrictions would get worse if park officials noticed a lack of social distancing.
There are other ways to enjoy the bloom, Litterst said, directing people to Washington’s “Bloom Cam,” where people can check out the cherry blossoms virtually.
Wow. Flower pictures.
This crackdown isn’t just over-the-top — it’s unnecessary. There are several studies that prove that the transmission of COVID-19 outdoors is rare, which makes the Tidal Basin one of the safest places in the city for people to gather.
Plenty of people have made their way down to the Tidal Basin anyway, and others (myself included) have opted to visit other parts of the city where the Cherry Blossom Police aren’t hovering. (Hint: Check out the National Arboretum.) But the city’s blossom lockdown is proof that panic is perennial.
