Push to reopen national parks sparks pandemic concerns

National parks are starting to reopen as they seek to balance public safety concerns about the coronavirus with responding to the White House's push to start reopening sites. Ahead of the busy summer season for national park visits, Everglades National Park in Florida reinstated access to certain roads on Monday as well as reopening a store and several restrooms, though it is keeping other roads and its visitor centers closed. The Associated Press reported that boaters had lined up to get in at 7 a.m. and were allowed into the water one at a time. The plan is part of a phased approach to opening national parks after President Trump pushed last month for sites to reopen. The opening of the Everglades comes as states, including Florida, are gradually starting to restart their economies in the hopes that coronavirus infections have peaked. But public health experts are raising concerns that an influx of guests to parks could lead to increased infections while making it harder to track the virus as out-of-state visitors arrive...MORE