We appreciate that partners and park managers continue to work cooperatively to address the rapidly evolving situation associated with the novel (new) coronavirus (COVID-19) to ensure guest, customer, and employee safety and health and to provide clear and accurate communications to our visitors and customers.
As the situation evolves, we will use this space to provide updates about the other matters that are of importance to this community as well as continuing to include critical updates to the NPS public health response.
Current Status of the NPS
Information about the NPS response to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is available at nps.gov/coronavirus. Links to this page are also posted on the NPS national social media accounts (Facebook and Twitter).
What Partners Can Do
We ask for your assistance in several ways:
Information Being Provided to Your Customers. Our Washington Office of Communications, in coordination with the Department of the Interior Communications Office, is working closely with regional and park public information officers (PIOs) to respond to media and public inquires. We request that you work with your NPS park contacts as you normally would to review information you are communicating with your customers. They will quickly respond to your requests.
Safety and Health Practices. Partners should utilize the guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and practice the preventive measures discussed in their guidance.
Possible Exposure. If you have employees, guests, or customers who report a possible exposure, suspect or confirmed case of illness from the COVID-19 virus, please immediately contact the park so that they can work with you to coordinate with public health authorities.
Closure or Reduction of Operations. If you are considering closing all or a portion of your operations, please contact your park manager, or appropriate regional offices if your operations cover multiple regions, to discuss this decision before taking that action. They will help work through any considerations, logistics, notifications, and communications.
Find Your “Virtual” Park
As more of us find ourselves “parked” at home, we’re encouraging our visitors to find us in the digital space, to Find Your “Virtual” Park. From webcams to kids activities, live tours, and more, parks and the partner community can invite our visitors to visit us virtually. Partners can work with their partner parks to offer additional activities and we’ll add more as we go along, so check back!
Last updated: April 1, 2020