Coronavirus Cases Shutter 5 Schools In Astoria, Long Island City

LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS — Five elementary school buildings in Astoria and Long Island City were temporarily closed as of Thursday due to multiple coronavirus cases, according to the New York City Department of Education.

Of the five shuttered schools, all but one were closed for 10 days, after at least two COVID-19 cases were reported among members of the school community that were not linked to each other and stemmed from exposure outside school.

The fifth school, P.S. 166, was closed for a 24-hour period Thursday while health officials investigated the risk of coronavirus exposure to the school community and determine close contacts who need to self-quarantine.

Two other schools — P.S. 12 and P.S./I.S. 78 — will be allowed to reopen Friday after reaching the end of their 10-day closure period.

These are the schools that were closed as of Thursday:

• P.S. 12 (21-21 Ditmars Blvd.) - closed Jan. 12 through Jan. 21
• P.S. 85 (23-70 31st St.) - closed Jan. 15 through Jan. 24
• P.S. 166 (33-09 35th Ave.) - closed Jan. 21
• P.S. 112 (25-05 37th Ave.) - closed Jan. 18 through Jan. 27
• P.S./I.S. 78 (46-08 5th St.) - closed Jan. 12 through Jan. 21

The shuttered Western Queens schools were among 312 citywide that faced daylong or extended closures Thursday, according to the agency's map of active cases.

The number of temporary closures hit 373 this week — a record high since 878 New York City schools restarted in-person classes for elementary school students and preschoolers in December.

On Tuesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the "vast majority" of schools remained open and called the closures a necessary step to keep students and teachers safe during the pandemic.

"No one likes it," he said. "And we want to be absolutely sure when that kind of closure has to happen, but we take a better safe than sorry approach here. And that is what has kept our schools the safest in the country and the schools being the safest place to be in New York City."

Matt Troutman contributed to this report.

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