Alcatraz Welcomed Travelers Back For First Time Since COVID-19 Outbreak

Prisoners spent years trying to escape the famous prison island of Alcatraz, but travelers are allowed to return for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak began last year.

According to the Associated Press, Alcatraz opened Monday for a limited number of indoor tours, with facial coverings, increased cleanings, hand sanitizing stations and social distancing still mandatory for tourists.

Access to the prison's famous cell house will be limited to visitors who sign up for the audio tour in advance and food service will no longer be available. The prison has also reduced the number of people allowed inside a day from 5,000 tourists to 1,000.

Ferries to Alcatraz from San Francisco are operating at 25 percent capacity, carrying about 150 passengers instead of the usual 600. The property opened to an outdoor-only experience in August to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

On Tuesday, a Tripadvisor survey revealed that around 50 percent of Americans are planning to travel this spring as a result of lower coronavirus infection rates and a higher number of vaccinations administered.

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