National Park Service reinstates mask mandate

The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) announced Monday that it was reinstating its nationwide face mask mandate.

In a release, the agency cited recent science and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance.

“Following the latest science and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Park Service is immediately requiring visitors, employees and contractors to wear a mask inside all NPS buildings and in crowded outdoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status or community transmission levels,” NPS wrote.

The order will be in effect “until further notice” and applies to all NPS buildings and public transportation systems in addition to outdoor spaces where physical distancing cannot be maintained.

“Visitors to national parks are coming from locations across the country, if not across the world. Because of this, and recognizing that the majority of the United States is currently in substantial or high transmission categories, we are implementing a service-wide mask requirement to ensure our staff and visitors’ safety,” NPS Deputy Director Shawn Benge said in the release.- READ MORE