A mask mandate has been reinstated at Sandy Hook National Park due to a recent increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations in the area. Visitors are now required to wear masks inside buildings at the New Jersey national park, including the Sandy Hook visitors center and other facilities hosting events or tours.
This decision follows the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)’s report indicating high COVID hospital admissions in Monmouth County, where the park is located, and neighboring Ocean County. CDC data from the week ending January 6 shows that each county has recorded 250 new hospital admissions for confirmed COVID cases.
Daphne Yun, a spokesperson for the NPS Gateway Recreational Area, informed nj.com that the park tracks hospitalization rates, which escalated to high levels last Friday according to CDC metrics. Masks are mandatory in indoor spaces, and the park provides them for visitors without masks. Participants in indoor tours are also required to wear masks.
The CDC continues to advocate mask-wearing as an effective measure to decrease the spread of respiratory viruses. Under National Park Service regulations, Sandy Hook National Park is required to monitor and respond to CDC hospital admission levels.