NYC School Coronavirus Closures Hover Over 300 Buildings

NEW YORK CITY — A third of New York City's public school buildings are under coronavirus closures.

The city's shuttered schools — whether under a day-long or extended closure — hit 373 this week, according to the Department of Education's daily COVID tracker.

The number set a record high for closures since 878 schools reopened in-person learning for K-5, 3-K and pre-K students. A day later on Thursday the number dipped back to 312 schools.

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday said the "vast majority" of schools — two-thirds of them, for the record — still remain open. He said the closures are a necessary step to keep students and teachers safe.

"No one likes it," he said. "And we want to be absolutely sure when that kind of closure has to happen, but we take a better safe than sorry approach here. And that is what has kept our schools the safest in the country and the schools being the safest place to be in New York City."

As of Thursday, 91 buildings are under day-long closures and 221 are under extended, 10-day closures.