Archdiocese of Philadelphia to close all school buildings for two weeks amid growing COVID-19 concerns

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced Friday afternoon that all school buildings will be closed until at least March 27 amid the COVID-19 crisis.

The diocese said while there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in the schools, they were closing as a precautionary measure.

The closure affects ALL high schools, parish and regional elementary schools, schools of special education, PREP programs, and early learning centers in the five-county Archdiocese.

Officials said a Special Task Force has been convened to gauge the impact of COVID-19 on Catholic education and develop our ongoing response and atters are being evaluated on a daily, if not hourly basis.

According to officials, the decision to adopt this course of action was not made lightly. It came only after careful, thought, planning, consideration, and prayer.