Lake Washington School District To Close Due To Coronavirus

KING COUNTY, WA — Lake Washington School District will close all schools starting Thursday through at least March 27, in an effort to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, the district said Wednesday.

The announcement came hours after Gov. Jay Inslee announced a ban on group gatherings of more than 250 people as well as mandatory social distancing policies for all groups. Seattle Public Schools and the Bellevue School District also said Wednesday they would close for at least two weeks.

"The Lake Washington School District has been following guidance from Public Health in an effort to stay open as long as possible," the district, the fourth largest in Washington, said in a statement. "In light of the current information shared today by our elected officials, we believe it is time to plan for alternative ways to serve our community and families."

The district will consider extending the closures past March 27, the statement said.

The district said it will set up childcare during school hours Thursday and Friday for parents unable to stay home or who work in "critical community roles such as healthcare and first responders."

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Meals will also be provided for children at school sites — with details to follow — and the district will provide support for "at-home learning" for students, according to the announcement. The district said it will share more information over the next two days.

"We recognize this closure creates many different challenges, and our goal is to provide basic services to continue supporting our families and our communities," the district said.

At a press conference Wednesday morning, Gov. Inslee announced the state will ban public gatherings of more than 250 people through at least the end of March. Smaller gatherings will also be banned in King County if organizers cannot comply with social distancing orders, County Executive Dow Constantine said.

Meanwhile, King County confirmed 44 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, including four new deaths: three patients at Life Care Center in Kirkland and another from a Redmond nursing home.

The county now has 234 confirmed cases and 26 deaths, with at least 366 cases statewide.

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