COVID-19 Surge Causes School Closures In Puerto Rico

Following a recent spike of COVID-19 cases, Puerto Rico’s health secretary has announced that all public and private schools along the U.S. territory would close for two weeks.

The closures will begin on April 12, which comes nearly a month after some 100 of the island’s 858 public schools were allowed to resume for the first time in a year, NBC News reported.

Kindergarteners, special education students, and students in first, second, third, and 12th grades were the only students allowed to return to school to attend in-person classes twice a week and were dismissed before noon.

Health experts, teachers, and some parents approved of the Thursday announcement. Many were worried about an increase in COVID-19 cases and had concerns over schools rushing to open.

According to Carlos Mellado, Puerto Rico’s Health Secretary, there were no reported COVID-19 cases identified at any open schools; however, the move felt necessary due to the spike of cases.