Washington Monument Closed After Bernhardt’s Covid Diagnosis

The Washington Monument is temporarily closed after some employees had to quarantine following a visit this week by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, who tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday.

Their absence has led to a staffing shortage at the monument, Interior Department spokesman Nicholas Goodwin said by email. The monument reopened on Oct. 1 after a six-month closure forced by the pandemic. None of the National Park Service employees working at the monument have tested positive for Covid-19 since then, Goodwin said.