The White House is resuming regular public tours next month after a nearly two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tours will resume on April 15, the White House announced Tuesday.
“The White House will continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation with guidance based on recommendations from the CDC, and other public health officials and medical experts, and reserves the right to adjust the availability of the public tours as necessary to adhere to the latest health guidance,” it said in a statement.
The White House also said that anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 symptoms or has been exposed to the virus within 10 days of their scheduled tour should stay home. It will also make face masks available for tourists who wish to wear them during their visit.
The Trump administration paused the tours in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic. The halt was lifted briefly in September 2020 but that was quickly scuttled.
In 2019, the last full year before the pandemic, roughly 450,000 guests visited the White House.
The reopening comes as COVID cases continue to decline throughout the U.S. New cases have plummeted from 410,818 on Jan. 13 to 7,282 on March 13, according to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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