With the large international visitation that the National Park System receives, it's only natural to wonder how the National Park Service is guarding against visitors who might be infected with Coronavirus.
Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Death Valley are among the park units that attract large numbers of international visitors.
"While there have been no identified cases of Coronavirus in any national park, the NPS Office of Public Health and the U.S. Public Health Service officers assigned to the National Park Service are closely monitoring the situation and keeping staff informed, relying on the most updated data and information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," Alexandra Picavet, the acting chief spokesperson for the Park Service, said Tuesday.
"Parks are informed to follow CDC guidance regarding preventative actions to help prevent the spread of viruses, particularly during flu and respiratory disease season."
Comments
No -- they really shouldn't be! And neither should all of the other stuff that is being shut down in panic. Flu is worse than Coranavirus, and we don't run around shutting the whole country down every year for flu season!
The fear and panic gripping the world over this relatively mild virus (read your facts if you disagree with the word "mild") is causing significantly more harm than the virus itself.
Let's see if you still feel the flu is worse than COVID-19 a month from now when the numbers will be through the roof
In response to the flu comment- there is a vaccine for flu. Coronavirus has no vaccine, yet. But if we all do our part in social distancing the medical experts can buy time to test potential cures. Everyday I go to work I have my temperature taken and have to put on my PPE ( personal protection equipment) which I wear for nearly 12 hours a day. We have moved patients around so we can cohort them on certain floors. Some patients come in symptomatic and are NP swabbed. They remain in isolation until the cultures come back negative or positive. We treat everyone as if they are positive until the final result is confirmed. We scramble for medical supplies, gowns, ventilators, test kits. We are on the frontline risking our lives. Risking the lives of our families. We don't get paid anymore. We are mandated to work overtime. We have not been approved to take any paid time off. All so people can have their dream trip. Please let's take this seriously!! The lethality of this virus-the capability of this virus to cause real harm with morbidity and mortality is so much more severe than any swine flu or H1N1, which were also pandemics. But I have watched people physically suffer. We have a societal responsiblity to take care of the vulnerable. Please encourage the parks to close.
Im currently traveling in to as many national parks as I can. Hit Arches, Canyonlands, and Mesa Verde over the last week. Very little contact with people. Vistor centers are closed and parks have hand sanitizer all over. People walk past each other on hikes and that is about the extent of contact. Stay in in a tent or the vehicle so no contact tbere either. So please keep the parts open and let people enjoy our biggest treasures.
They close other times because of lack of funda, that's why.
they should remain open now because seriously... how is being outside in nature far from other people (do you hang in large groups in national forests? No.) possibly bad for ones health and contributing to the spread of any illness. On the contrary, it prevents it.
I agree. My husband died of cancer 4 months ago and I'm so thankful for the time we spent in catalochee in the North Carolina. Families like this are trying desperately to make beautiful memories and I dont think social distancing is as hard in parks. Maybe limiting visitor numbers?
I work in a State Park, and I agree the outdoors is wonderful and it is possible to be apart, but people to do not pay attention to that order. They still congregate and do whatever they want to do. I would be very dissappointed if I had a trip planned....but our health is more important. Trips can be rescheduled is necessary. Do something together at home...enjoy each other. Our park closed everything that was popular to help avoid crowds...but since everything else is closed in the area, guess where they come. We are all still here and being exposed by everyone trying to get out in the country. I am all for us closing down for a couple weeks or until this is over. This too shall pass.
I am also hoping and praying that the national parks do not close or if so, not for too long. I was planning to come across the country with my family in late May, since we needed to be out that way for an event. Also, my husband is currently between two jobs, so we have the time to go from the Grand Canyon , thru Zion and Bryce , up to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. I'm not sure we'll have the opportunity again before our boys leave home.