On Tuesday, July 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) updated guidance and requirements that necessitate immediate action from all National Park Service sites and offices. 

Updated guidance from the CDC recommends that fully vaccinated individuals wear a mask in public indoor settings in some situations. In response, DOI provided interim updated workplace safety guidance to all DOI employees by email.  

In accordance with DOI guidance, each National Park Service site must immediately: 

• Review its local transmission designation on the CDC COVID Data Tracker. If the park or site is in an area of substantial or high community transmission, which currently includes Washington, DC, masks must be worn by all employees, visitors, on-site contractors, concessionaire staff, commercial use authorization holders, and other partners using or occupying federal facilities, regardless of vaccination status. Continue to assess the park or site’s designation daily on any day of active use of the indoor spaces. 

• Where universal mask wearing will be required, post signage (available on InsideNPS) at all entrances and places of communal gathering to provide notice of the mask wearing requirement. Please contact your servicing human resources office for any questions concerning reasonable accommodation. 

• Update its public website to reflect current mask wearing requirements. Update the public website as necessary whenever there is a change to mask requirements. Public communications guidance is available on InsideNPS. 

Please refer questions on these requirements to your regional office. 

Thank you for continuing to help keep our staff, partners, and visitors safe. 

Shawn Benge

Deputy Director, Operations

Exercising the Delegated Authority of the Director, National Park Service