Cuomo: No Classroom Summer School Across New York State

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says it's too early to tell if students will return to the classroom in the fall. He also doesn't recommend sending children to summer camps.

On Thursday during his COVID-19 briefing, Cuomo said 105 New Yorkers died since his last update.

He said there are 157 cases of the new rare illness in New York children that is likely linked to COVID-19. The inflammatory virus has killed a number of New York children, according to Cuomo.

"This inflammatory symptom is more scary that COVID, in some ways, because it inflames the heart," Cuomo said. "In one week we doubled the number of countries that found it and doubled the number of states that found it."

He then announced all schools will remain closed through the summer.

"Summer school is not going to open statewide for in-class teaching," Cuomo said during his briefing. "To reduce the risk of spread, summer school this year will be conducted through distance learning. Meal programs and child care services for essential employees will continue."

He said its still way too early to determine if schools will reopen in the fall. The state will release guidelines to schools next month so officials can start to plan for a number of scenarios for the fall. He wants districts to review those guidelines and submit plans on how to reopen safely to the state in July.

Cuomo also said, as a parent, he wouldn't send his child to summer camps, until more is known about the rare disease in children.

State officials are reviewing guidelines for summer camps.

"Before we go ahead and say we want to open more places where children can congregate" we want to make sure kids are safe," New York State Divison of Budget Director Robert Mujica said during the briefing.

Cuomo also announced that Rockland County hospitals are now eligible to have elective surgeries.

He said the New York State Contract Traciing program is up and running. He added if your caller ID says "New York State Contact Tracing" it's not a spam call and you should pick up and take what you are told very seriously.

"Each of us plays a role as we go forward," he said. "What happens next depends on what we do."