BREAKING: Congress to shut US Capitol, House and Senate office buildings to the public until April 1 in reaction to coronavirus
- The US Capitol Building in Washington, DC will close to the public from Thursday afternoon
- Public access to all House and Senate office buildings will also be restricted through April 1
- It comes amid growing fears about the spread of COVID-19, with 1327 American diagnosed with the virus
Congress is shutting the US Capitol and all House and Senate buildings to the public in reaction to the spread of the coronavirus.
The House and Senate sergeants at arms announced Thursday that the closure will begin at 5pm Thursday. They will remain in effect through April 1.
Lawmakers, aides, journalists and official visitors will be allowed into the buildings.
The statement says officials are acting ‘out of concern for the health and safety of congressional employees as well as the public’.
COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in the United States, with 1327 American diagnosed with the virus. 38 US citizens have died in relation to the disease.
The US Capitol Building is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country, visited by up to 5 million people per year. A majority of tourists visit the building between March and July.
On Wednesday, the building was still bustling with tourists from around the world.
Congress is shutting the US Capitol and all House and Senate buildings to the public in reaction to the spread of the coronavirus
The US Capitol was still bustling with visitors on Wednesday. The building is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the US, and is visited by up to 5 million people per year
Business as usual: Nancy Pelosi is pictured inside the Capitol Building on Wednesday. She has resisted calls to extend a week-long recess for lawmakers, which is scheduled to begin Friday
On Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said lawmakers will continue working on legislation in Washington, DC.
‘We are the captains of the ship. We are the last to leave,’ she stated, according to TIME Magazine.
Both chambers of Congress have a week-long recess, scheduled to begin Friday, but there are no current plans to extend the break.
It comes despite the fact many senators and congresspeople could feel the impacts of coronavirus more acutely, given their age.
Pelosi is 78, while Senators Dianne Feinstein and Don Young are both aged 86.
The closures come amid growing fear about the spread of COVID-19, with 1327 American diagnosed with the virus
The number of coronavirus cases has rapidly escalated in the United States.
Tourists queue up at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, in Washington on Wednesday. The building will close to the public for the remainder of the month on Thursday afternoon
The US Capitol is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Washington, DC