ST. GEORGE — A mask mandate is in effect in Zion National Park in all federal buildings and all common areas where people tend to congregate, as well as narrow areas on trails where physical distancing is not possible.
According to a press release issued Tuesday, the mask-wearing mandate was issued across all National Park Service sites, including Zion National Park, and in support of President Joe Biden’s executive order on protecting the federal workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The mask mandate, as it’s been called or referenced, is in effect in Zion,” Zion’s Chief Ranger Daniel Fagergren said during a press conference held via electronic means.
Park staff have been wearing masks and encouraging visitors to do so for several months; however, now it is a federal law, Fagergren said.
As staff, visitors and park contractors come to the park, Fagergren said the park is relying on the most up-to-date science regarding mask-wearing to keep everyone safe and healthy.
“We’re relying on the best possible data and science to show that the wearing of masks does tend to reduce the spread of coronavirus,” he said, adding that stopping or at least slowing the spread of COVID-19 is what the implementation of the law is intended to do while vaccinations are rolled out and take hold.
For Fagergren, it is all about protecting the life, health and safety of all those who enter Zion National Park.
Because mask-wearing is now a law rather than just a guideline set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fagergren said they now have the ability to enforce it.
That enforcement is made possible by a compendium that gives the superintendent of each park the ability to enforce certain closures and restrictions.
That said, Fagergren said he has instructed his staff to be patient as they work to educate and encourage the public to wear masks in all federal buildings, in common areas such as plazas and shuttle lines and in narrow areas on trails where social distancing is not possible.
“I’ve instructed my staff to exercise extreme patience and to evaluate each scenario and situation,” he said, adding that the main goal is to help educate visitors on the science behind mask wearing in slowing the spread of COVID-19 and the data that supports it.
Violators could potentially face citations and fees, but Fagergren said it will be situational dependent. If visitors are able to maintain proper social distancing, there is no need for law enforcement to get involved, he said. But for visitors in crowded areas who refuse to wear a mask, Fagergren said that is where they will step in and get involved.
Fagergren said they are not expecting a lot of issues with compliance or people making a scene and said that he believes most people are respectful of others’ health.
“We’re not trying to make this more difficult than it needs to be. I think most people are willing to comply with that (the law), I think most people are respectful of other people’s health and for that reason alone will comply,” Fagergren said, adding he is hopeful that most people won’t purposely look to incite issues.
“If people will respect others even if they don’t want to wear the masks for themselves, we’d really appreciate it,” he added.
Shuttles as well as in the the shuttle line, one of the primary areas where people congregate, will not be running in the park until mid-February, beginning on the weekends and moving toward full service in March.
At the time of this report, no citations have been issued, Fagergren said.
Visitors should check individual park websites and social media channels for details on operations before they visit.
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