Coronavirus Closing Westchester Schools

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — All Westchester County schools that aren't already closed this week due to the new coronavirus outbreak are expected to be closed Wednesday by the County Executive's order. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the declaration over the weekend.

As of Sunday, there were 729 confirmed cases in New York; 196 of them were in Westchester, with a total of 229 in the lower Hudson Valley. There have been three deaths in the state.

Putnam County, with its first two cases as of Sunday, declared a state of emergency and closed schools. Putnam State Of Emergency: Schools Closed This Week. Orange, Dutchess and Ulster counties did so last week.

Cuomo wants school districts in Westchester to close too.

In New York City schools will be closed until April 20.

"They will all close with a child care plan for essential workers in place. And food programs and a plan to make up the educational services at summer school, assuming we're out of this during the summer months, " Cuomo said Sunday.

Westchester is creating a child care plan, Cuomo said.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said Sunday that Westchester public schools would be closed as of Wednesday and remain closed for a period of two weeks.

Many districts announced their plans first.

Officials in the Chappaqua Central School District announced Sunday that the schools would be closed from Monday to March 29.

Cuomo said the child care will basically be provided by using some of the schools or portions of the schools and some teachers will remain to provide the child care. "So, parents can go to work, they'll know their child is being well cared for. We will still have hospitals fully functional, first responders, et cetera. But the schools will be closed and will help us reduce the density, which is what fighting this virus is all about," he said

Nonessential state employees in Westchester, Rockland and New York City have been directed to work from home for two weeks. The state will also limit nonessential court proceedings.

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