The National Park Service announced on Saturday that the Washington Monument and several other indoor areas on the National Mall will remain closed in order to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Washington Monument closed on Jan. 11 after the pro-Trump protesters stormed Capitol Hill in an attack that left five dead. Now, the NPS said the monument “will close until further notice as a measure to protect staff and visitors from the spread of COVID-19.”
“Today’s public health closure is consistent with local and federal guidance, including the Centers for Disease Control, and was completed in consultation with the National Park Service Office of Public Health,” the NPS said in a statement. “The National Park Service will monitor public health conditions in the Washington, D.C. area, as well as the opening status of other nearby visitor attractions, and reopen the Washington Monument and other indoor park facilities as soon as it deems it is safe to do so.”
Also affected by closures are the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, the Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site, and the Old Post Office Tower Tour, in addition to all athletic fields and volleyball courts.
“The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners at National Mall and Memorial Parks is our number one priority,” NPS said. “The National Park Service is working with federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic. Notifications of the resumption of full operations and provide updates on our website (Alerts and Current Conditions) and social media channels.”
Outdoor memorials and spaces on the National Mall and Memorial Parks remain open.
On his first day in office, President Biden signed a raft of executive orders, including the Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing, which requires that individuals wear masks in federal buildings and on any federal lands.
As of Sunday, the United States reported more than 25 million COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, with more than 417,000 deaths attributed to the virus. Washington, D.C., has reported more than 35,000 cases.
