U.S. Capitol, House and Senate Office Buildings Suspend Public Access Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

Congress has announced that the U.S. Capitol will be closed to the public for the rest of the month in light of the ongoing situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

The House and Senate sergeants at arms confirmed that the Capitol, along with the House and Senate office buildings, will put a policy of limited access into effect later today, which will extend until April 1. The Capitol previously announced new security measures and a suspension of public tours because of Covid-19 concerns, but according to Wall Street Journal’s Lindsay Wise, this is the first time the Capitol has closed to the public since the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic.

The House and Senate sergeants at arms say that the closure at the Capitol and all House and Senate office buildings will begin at 5 p.m. Lawmakers, aides, journalists and official visitors will be allowed into the buildings. https://t.co/TgjBF08X5l

— The Associated Press (@AP) March 12, 2020

NEW: For the first time since the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, the US Capitol is temporarily closing to the public pic.twitter.com/LALQ7wZW8y

— Lindsay Wise (@lindsaywise) March 12, 2020

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress shutting US Capitol, House and Senate office buildings to public until April 1 in reaction to coronavirus.

— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) March 12, 2020

Here’s the announcement:

In consultation with the Office of Attending Physician and following the guidance of DC Health, the House and Senate Sergeant at Arms have ordered limited access throughout the Capitol complex beginning at 5 pm on Thursday, March 12, 2020, and ending on 8 am on Thursday, April 1, 2020. This temporary action is being taken given evolving COVID-19 coronavirus concerns.

UPDATE – 2:45 p.m. ET: The Supreme Court will also close itself to the public.

Supreme Court announces that its building will be closed to the public beginning this afternoon at 4:30pm until further notice

— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) March 12, 2020

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