BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge parks and recreation department will require unvaccinated workers and guests to wear masks while inside BREC-operated facilities as the state sees a spike in new coronavirus cases. 

A spokesperson for BREC said Tuesday that all indoor facilities will either require that guests show proof of vaccination or wear masks if they are inside for over 15 minutes. Outdoor activities such as golfing and visiting the zoo—while outdoors—will not be affected.

“After suffering through a year of facilities closures, hospitalized employees, the lost friends and family members, including our beloved Commissioner Davis Rhorer, widespread forced isolation, online schooling and serious financial repercussions to the local economy, I want to make certain that BREC is doing everything it can to prevent a return to those conditions for the community we serve,” BREC Superintendent Corey K. Wilson said in a statement. 

BREC said additional precautions are already in place for programs like summer camps, so the change largely applies to the department's administrative buildings.