New York City Closing Public Schools to Combat COVID-19 Spread
Written by SOURCE on November 18, 2020
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday that the city will close public schools in order to combat the rising COVID-19 numbers.
The Associated Press reports that all school buildings will be closed for in-person learning “until further notice.” All students will be taught online only for the time being, although as of October only 25 percent or so of students had returned to in-person learning. Officials had expected more would return when elementary schools in the city reopened on Sept. 29, and high schools on Oct. 1.
In a tweet, Blasio noted that the city had “reached the 3% testing positivity 7-day threshold,” which resulted in the closure decision. “We must fight back the second wave of COVID-19,” he added. When the schools opened around late September, the seven-day positive test average rate was under two percent.
This story is being updated.
