Coronavirus image/CDC,Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAMS
National parks and their facilities remain open during the coronavirus epidemic in the United States while National Park Service officials await further guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, agency staff said Thursday.
"To help guide the National Park Service operational response to the novel (new) coronavirus (COVID-19), the NPS Office of Public Health and the U.S. Public Health Service officers assigned to the NPS are closely monitoring the situation and keeping staff informed," Park Service acting chief spokesperson Stephanie Roulett told the Traveler in an email. "They are relying on the most updated data and information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), the Office of Personnel and Management (OPM), state and local public health authorities, and coordinating with the DOI Office of Emergency Management.
"The national parks are open and facilities are maintaining continuity of operations," she added. "The NPS is focused on ensuring employees, their families, volunteers, and visitors are safe by following the most current guidance from the CDC, OPM, OEM, and other federal, state, and local health authorities."
The Park Service has been working to keep the public up-to-date on the situation via its public health website.
Representatives for Xanterra Parks & Resorts and Delaware North, two of the largest concessionaires in the National Park System with operations in places such as Yellowstone, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Sequoia, and Shenandoah national parks, did not immediately reply Thursday to emailed requests for how they were approaching the epidemic in their park lodges and restaurants.
Comments
Heck no I have a trip planned there in 2 weeks if you want to be paranoid be paranoid don't spread your pandemic to the rest of us. I doubt there will be anybody 60 or over hiking down in to phantom ranch.
Give it a rest! The NP is the best part of the US, I am very thankful for everyone that helps keep the beauty of these special places.
Please keep them open for at least hiking! I understand closing visitors centers, lodges etc.
what about all of the kids who are exsited about going there over brake
Being outside in a national park is probably the safest pl as ce to be.
Maybe be careful using g bathrooms aND stay out of restaurants. Maybe we're over reacting!!!
Obviously you are nit up here working in close contact and collecting their money, dishes, linens and putting yourself at yourself at risk. We have thousands coming through the gates and with bad weather everyone is inside. We were able to make it through a government shutdown for weeks but due to greed we can't take a couple weeks to protect our Grand Canyon Community & staff? You don't know what youre talking about. WOW
I beleive the parks should close. People should not be doing non essential travel.
Park visitation should not be encouraged, especially since visitors don't always practice basic hygiene, even prior to COVID. And now, our concessioner seems to be running low on soap and towels. Even though I've always been meticulous about hygiene doesn't mean that those around me including fellow NPS and visitors will. And there have instances in the past where people have invaded my personal zone, coming definitely closer than the recommended six foot blast radius. Just saying.