White House to resume limited tours

The White House will resume limited tours starting Sept. 12, the East Wing announced Tuesday.

The tours will take place two days a week, Friday and Saturday, as opposed to the previous schedule of five days a week. They will be offered from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and will take place at 18 percent capacity due to coronavirus protocols.

The East Wing is implementing several safety protocols, such as requiring face masks being worn by guests older than 2, putting in social distancing dots and providing hand sanitizer. 

The White House temporarily suspended tours in March as the coronavirus began to spread across the country. Several members of the White House staff, including national security adviser Robert O’Brien, have since tested positive for COVID-19.

Several other federal tourist attractions — such as the Capitol, the Pentagon and several museums — remain closed to the public.

The move by the White House comes as Washington continues to grapple with the pandemic.

More than 13,000 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the District and 607 have died since the beginning of the pandemic, according to health officials.