Washington Monument closed 'until further notice' due to Covid-19

The monument had been closed since January 11 due to security concerns in the aftermath of the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol and the then-upcoming Inauguration Day.

"National Park Service will monitor public health conditions in the Washington, D.C. area, as well as the opening status of other nearby visitor attractions, and reopen the Washington Monument and other indoor park facilities as soon as it deems it is safe to do so," the Park Service said in the statement. A reopening date has not been determined yet.

The monument closed in March, along with a handful of DC landmarks over the pandemic, before reopening again in October, though there was another short closure in December.

There have been 870 deaths from Covid in Washington, DC., since last January. In the US, Covid-19 has killed at least 416,907 people and infected about 25 million, according to data by Johns Hopkins University.

This newest closure comes under the new Biden administration, which has generally taken a sharply different approach to coronavirus preventative measures compared to the Trump administration.

On Thursday, President Joe Biden used his first full day in office to unveil his national strategy for combating the pandemic, which included signing several executive actions.

"Our national strategy is comprehensive, it's based on science, not politics. It's based on truth, not denial, and it's detailed," Biden said, speaking from the White House. The Biden administration's 198-page plan is posted on WhiteHouse.gov.