New York City's public school district, the largest in the United States, will halt in-person instruction starting Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced, citing soaring coronavirus infection rates there and across the country. New York City, the U.S. epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic last spring, has seen a late-autumn resurgence of the virus after a summertime lull. "Unfortunately, this means public school buildings will be closed as of tomorrow, Thursday Nov. 19, out (of) an abundance of caution," de Blasio wrote on Twitter. New York City joins other large school districts in cities like Boston and Detroit that have recently canceled in-person learning. Government officials in at least 21 states, representing both sides of the U.S. political divide, have issued sweeping new public health mandates this month.

Source: Mint November 18, 2020 23:26 UTC