By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave a comment 0comments Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-new-york-city-mayor-bill-de-blasio-holds-covid-19-update Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio holds COVID-19 update Politics Nov 16, 2020 3:13 PM EDT NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio held an update on the city’s response to the surge of COVID-19 cases. Watch Bill de Blasio’s remarks in the player above. Students, parents and teachers are continuing to anxiously watch New York City’s coronavirus test results. The latest figures Saturday fell under the city’s threshold for shutting down school buildings, but the mayor warned that the city was at a “crucial” point in fighting the virus’ resurgence. Mayor Bill de Blasio cautioned parents and teachers Friday to plan for a potential school shutdown as soon as Monday, saying the city could cross its deciding line — 3 percent of coronavirus tests citywide coming back positive over a seven-day period — over the weekend. The rate stayed short of that on Saturday, at 2.47 percent, he said. “But that could change,” the Democratic mayor tweeted, warning that the city was facing “a critical weekend” in combating the pandemic. New York City has the United States’ largest public school system, with more than 1 million students. It became one of few big cities to reopen classrooms this fall after the pandemic forced schools online in the spring, though families had the option of continuing all-remote learning this fall. About 280,000 students have attended in person, far fewer than the city originally expected. By — Associated Press Associated Press
NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio held an update on the city’s response to the surge of COVID-19 cases. Watch Bill de Blasio’s remarks in the player above. Students, parents and teachers are continuing to anxiously watch New York City’s coronavirus test results. The latest figures Saturday fell under the city’s threshold for shutting down school buildings, but the mayor warned that the city was at a “crucial” point in fighting the virus’ resurgence. Mayor Bill de Blasio cautioned parents and teachers Friday to plan for a potential school shutdown as soon as Monday, saying the city could cross its deciding line — 3 percent of coronavirus tests citywide coming back positive over a seven-day period — over the weekend. The rate stayed short of that on Saturday, at 2.47 percent, he said. “But that could change,” the Democratic mayor tweeted, warning that the city was facing “a critical weekend” in combating the pandemic. New York City has the United States’ largest public school system, with more than 1 million students. It became one of few big cities to reopen classrooms this fall after the pandemic forced schools online in the spring, though families had the option of continuing all-remote learning this fall. About 280,000 students have attended in person, far fewer than the city originally expected.