Trump's plan to reopen national parks sparks worry about coronavirus spread

[Eugene]

Source: Washington Post

The Energy 202: Trump's plan to reopen national parks sparks worry about coronavirus spread

By Dino Grandoni
April 23 at 8:08 AM
with Paulina Firozi

President Trump said his administration was preparing to reopen national parks that were closed to help stop the spread of the raging coronavirus pandemic. “We're starting to open our country again,” Trump said.

Yet Trump was not clear about which parks would reopen, or when, sparking fears that a rushed return to normal operations could lead to more infections among park workers, visitors and residents in neighboring communities.

“I don't think we're ready” to reopen, said Phil Francis, the chair of Coalition to Protect America's National Parks, a group of current and former park employees and volunteers. “I don't think we have the adequate staff, adequate training," said Francis, the former superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Theresa Pierno, head of the National Parks Conservation Association, said her organization heard from park staff who feel they do not have the proper personal protective equipment to work while there's still a threat from the coronavirus pandemic — and do not know when they will get it.

"At many of our national parks, social distancing has already proven to be nearly impossible," she said. “It's critical that until it's safe, parks already closed should remain so. And those that have not yet closed should be allowed to do so immediately.”

-snip-

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-energy-202/2020/04/23/the-energy-202-trump-s-plan-to-reopen-national-parks-sparks-worry-about-coronavirus-spread/5ea08cb388e0fa101a769d2f/

[Ford_Prefect]

1. One other concern might be that we are already seeing some domestic animals infected.

Last edited Thu Apr 23, 2020, 02:59 PM - Edit history (1)

We do not need to expose the wildlife in the parks through human traffic. If we could be sure that travelers to the parks aren't carriers that would be different.

The idea that because you can't see evidence of COVID-19 means there is no chance that people have it is ludicrous. The symptoms don't show up until well after the disease is present and not everyone presents the same symptoms or the same sequence of progression. The principle mis-understanding people seem to have is that this is merely a Flu or some other disease like they have seen before. It is Not. It is an extremely aggressive infectious virus.

[Igel]

3. Cats and ferrets.

Ferrets won't get close.

And any cat that gets close to you in a federal park is either domestic and feral--hence invasive--or not domestic and wild, and to be avoided by anybody that doesn't like lynxedIn or getting hit on by a cougar.

[Ford_Prefect]

4. Why do you assume only cats & ferrets when the WHO has revised their list?

Park wildlife interact indirectly with humans through many avenues including trash, and may act as carriers.

There is no purpose served by allowing people whom you cannot screen to wander in the parks, nor anywhere else. The "re-opening" at this point will only repeat and continue the viral transmission.

[mr_lebowski]

2. Another source of distraction and division ...

Trump knows leaders like Newsom will call out the NG to the gates of places like Yosemite and stop the traffic if the Feds open them up again. Creating a giant distracting 'scene' for the media to feast on, and his knuckle-dragging cult members to go on a rampage about, etc.