California Governor Says Schools Likely Won’t Reopen by Summer

(Bloomberg) -- California schools may not reopen before the end of the school year because of the coronavirus pandemic, Governor Gavin Newsom said.

“Don’t anticipate schools are going to open up in a week” or a few weeks, Newsom said Tuesday in a press conference, adding people should anticipate few will reopen before summer break.

Almost all California schools -- 98.8% -- are currently closed because of the virus, leaving millions of kids at home across the most-populous U.S. state. Newsom said the state is working to create childcare solutions for working parents and to make sure families who rely on school resources still have access to things like hot breakfast and lunch.

Newsom said he decided to warn parents longer-term closures are a possibility after having to console his own daughter who, in tears, wanted to know why should couldn’t go back to her friends at school.

“I told her, honey, I don’t think the schools are going to open again,” he said. “Boy, I hope I’m wrong.”

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