Southwest Alaska Ecosystems issued the following announcement March 16.
The four National Park Service (NPS) sites in South Florida—Everglades, Biscayne, and Dry Tortugas National Parks and Big Cypress National Preserve—remain open at this time. However, in order to protect our visitors and employees and minimize transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19), all visitor contact stations, including visitor centers, will be closed starting Mar. 17 until further notice. Visitor activities, including ranger-led programs and guided tours and activities operated by our concession and partners are also suspended until further notice. The Long Pine Key and Flamingo campgrounds in Everglades National Park will also be closing.
The NPS is focused on ensuring our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners are safe by following the most current guidance and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), state and local public health authorities, and the Department of Interior’s Office of Emergency Management. U.S. Public Health Service officers assigned to the NPS are closely monitoring the situation and keeping staff informed. NPS facility closures related to COVID-19 will be posted on the NPS Public Health Updates page.
Restrooms remain open at this time and NPS and concession staff are working to maintain clean and healthy facilities in accordance with CDC guidance.
While our NPS sites provide great opportunities for outdoor recreation, we encourage all visitors to follow CDC guidance to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. These measures include following routine precautions like washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; not touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze; and most importantly, staying home if you feel sick.
For more information and updates about the South Florida NPS sites, visit our websites. Links to our social media can also be found on the websites.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Southwest Alaska Ecosystems
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