Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up for Feb. 22-26, 2021

Grand Canyon National Park

Key Messages – Week of February 22, 2021

COVID-19 Updates

This week’s numbers at a glance:

The average number of new cases per day in Arizona is 1,552 down from 2,246 on average per day last week.
As of Thursday, the total number of cases in the 86023 zip code since the pandemic began is 183. This number represents cases both inside and outside the park.
There is one new reported case in the park this week.
Since the pandemic began, we’ve had 43 total positive COVID-19 cases in the park. To date, and as reported, none of the positive cases resulted from interaction with park visitors.
More detailed statistics are available on the Coconino County COVID-19 Dashboard.

Navajo Nation Stay-at-Home Order Continues Through March 8

The Navajo Nation extended its stay-at-home order on the entire reservation through March 8, 2021. The new order continues daily curfew hours between the hours of 9 p.m.-5 a.m.
Grand Canyon has no restrictions for park residents to come or go between the park and the Navajo Nation.

Reminder:

If you test positive or become ill, please report your situation to your supervisor and our NPS Public Health Consultant immediately.

This is to ensure proper public health protocols are followed, and that any exposure to the virus is minimized. For employees who need to quarantine because of COVID exposure, talk to your supervisor about options for leave categories if you can’t telework.

Don Hoeschele, Commander, U.S. Public Health Service, Mobile: (928) 522-3095, Email: don_hoeschele@nps.gov

Visit the NPS Grand Canyon Coronavirus Response Page for additional COVID-19 information

This Week’s COVID-19 Vaccine Update

Coconino County continues to focus on vaccine administration to the 1A and 1B groups that are currently eligible. Winter weather and related impacts have caused some delays to the vaccine rollout, and our community continues to move forward with vaccinations.

As of Monday, February 22, the Grand Canyon Clinic has administered 435 1st vaccine doses, and of those, 233 have received 2nd doses as well to complete their vaccination. These numbers represent roughly half of the vaccination requests the Clinic has received up to this point. The CDC has recently launched a new COVID-19 vaccine finder website that provides information on vaccine location sites.

Please continue to follow CDC guidelines such as: wearing masks, washing hands frequently, and maintaining distance from others until after the vaccine has been administered to a majority of the population. Please, get the vaccine when it is available to you in order to protect yourself, your family and loved ones, and our community.

Last week Superintendent Keable received his first vaccine from the Grand Canyon clinic which he stated was very positive. The picture above is Superintendent Keable receiving his vaccine from clinic nurse, Janet Bawcom.

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NPS Employees: NEW Admin Leave Guidance for Vaccinations

Up to four hours of Administrative leave (pay code 060) may be granted to Federal employees for each dose of the vaccination, subject to supervisory discretion and operational needs.

This leave can be granted for employees whose COVID-19 vaccination appointment(s) fall within their regularly scheduled tour of duty, for the time necessary to obtain each dose of the vaccine. Under extenuating circumstances such as employees residing in remote locations, employees may be granted additional excused administrative leave to obtain the vaccination, but no more than eight hours per dose.

Employees should include the statement “COVID-19 related activities” in the payroll remarks section in QuickTime. Administrative leave can only be granted to an employee to receive their own vaccination. More information on this leave can be found here.

COVID-19 Testing Details

The Grand Canyon Clinic has hours for COVID testing on Wednesdays from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. If you need a test outside of this hour, you need an order from your health care provider indicating a test is warranted.

In Flagstaff, COVID testing is available at Coconino Community College at 2800 South Lone Tree Road, and the NAU Fieldhouse at 1050 Knoles Drive.

Testing is also available at other locations in Flagstaff, including:
Walgreens on 4th Street
NextCare Urgent Care
The Veterans Affairs Clinic

Messages and Grand Canyon News

Reopening Operational Updates-Spring 2021

Superintendent, Ed Keable

We want to clarify Grand Canyon’s plan to return to normal operations. We have received questions about our plans to fully re-open the park, and some incorrect information has been advertised about our plans. We’ve needed to set a target date to fully reopen for planning purposes, and while we’ve identified May 21st, 2021 as a preliminary goal for resuming operations, we want to be clear that no date has been set to fully re-open the park and associated operations.

A variety of outcomes must be planned and achieved for the park to fully re-open, and employee and resident safety will be the primary factor in that decision. Although we do not yet have an operational schedule of services that may be available by the target date of May 21, we are making significant progress on increasing services.

The park is continuing conversations with the Navajo Nation about the best time to re-open the East entrance gate, and we will provide any updates as we have them. For now, we do not have a set date for opening the East entrance. When we determine a date for opening the East Entrance, we will announce it on this call and make sure that all of our staff, partners, and residents are informed.

If you receive questions on these matters, please direct them to the GRCA Public Affairs Office. Inquiries may be sent to grca_public_affairs@nps.gov.

Grand Canyon Hosts Structural Firefighter I and II Academy

Grand Canyon Emergency Services is hosting the NPS Structural Firefighter I and II Academy February 22-March 11. This combined 88-hour course teaches the basic skills to fight fires safely and effectively as a member of an engine company.

Structural fire protection is an important part of the NPS mission; to meet this mission the NPS maintains a structural fire capability intended to meet the diversity and complexity of the parks within its administration.

Over the next two weeks Grand Canyon will be providing training to 19 students including employees from Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Lake Mead, Death Valley, the Town of Tusayan, the Tusayan airport, and the High-Country Fire Department.

Transcanyon Water Pipeline Update & NPS Engineers Week

The recent Transcanyon Pipeline break was repaired on February 19. The pipeline has been recharged and pressure is holding.

Thank you to the crews who successfully completed yet another repair on the aging pipeline.

This week is NPS Engineers Week. The Denver Service Center featured the Transcanyon Waterline as part of a series of articles on engineering projects service-wide. Grand Canyon is working with a team of experts to replace the current pipeline with a proposed new system. The proposed design relocates the water intake to the bottom of the canyon at Phantom Ranch, where the intake system will draw from Bright Angel Creek and pump it to Indian Garden. Water will continue to be pumped to the South Rim from Indian Garden as it is today. If approved, the new water system will require a small treatment facility at Phantom Ranch to provide water to Phantom visitors. Since water is needed at Cottonwood Campground, a two-inch potable waterline approximately 2.3 miles in length will be installed from the Roaring Springs pump house.

Check out the NPS Engineers Week website for more information about the project.

Mather Campground Operational Updates

Beginning March 1, all 328 sites at Mather Campground will be available for reservations to the public. Group sites will be limited to 10 people/site and family campsites are allowed six people/site.

Site reservations should be made ahead of time exclusively on the rec.gov website:www.recreation.gov. Camper Services, operated by Delaware North will remain closed until further notice due to COVID-19 public health concerns.

NEW Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund Tutoring

The Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund has a new free online tutoring program for children (grades K-12) of federal civilian employees who make less than $100,000 per year.

Many of you may have seen an email earlier this week about the program. You can learn more about program on the Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund’s website.

Current Operational Updates

Desert View Accessibility

The East entrance gate remains closed to incoming or outgoing visitation.
Desert View is currently accessible to visitors. Areas include the parking lot, paved trails, and the overlook.
All facilities remain closed, including all facilities operated by NPS, Grand Canyon Conservancy, and Delaware North.
Tusayan Ruins remains closed.
Park residents are allowed to continue to come and go through the secured gates outside of the entrance station. If there is an issue with the combination lock at the gate, please contact dispatch immediately.

The following park closures remain in place: