Interior parts of the National Mall have been closed to prevent the spread of Covid-19

All interior parts of the National Mall in Washington are closed to prevent the spread of Covid-19, federal officials said on Saturday.

The closure includes the Washington Monument, which had been temporarily closed for the presidential inauguration, the National Park Service said in a statement.

He called the closure “a measure to protect staff and visitors from the spread of COVID-19.”

The closure means that associated memorial parks, including the Belmont-Paul National Monument for Women’s Equality, the Ford Theater National Historic Site and the Old Post Office Tower, are closed.

Public toilets and outdoor memorials would remain accessible, officials said.

The District of Columbia reported 172 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, bringing its total pandemic cases to 35,077.

The National Park Service will monitor public health conditions in the Washington, DC area, as well as the opening status of other nearby tourist attractions, and will reopen the Washington Monument and other indoor park facilities as soon as possible. ‘he will deem it safe to do so,’ the park service said.

Alec hernandez contributed.