Officials are forcing many schools in Orange County to close due to a recent spike in COVID-19.

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On Sunday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the state would start taking "aggressive enforcement" on the top-20 hot spot ZIP codes, which includes parts of Orange and Rockland counties.

“Better safe than sorry," Cuomo said on Monday. "I would not send my child to a school in a hot spot cluster that has not been tested.”

When asked during his press conference if he will be closing schools in Orange and Rockland counties he said "we may" but added more research needs to be done before a decision is made.

Some were surprised that Cuomo left off the hotspots in Orange and Rockland counties, because three zip codes in the region, 10590, 10952 and 10977, have the highest three-day, seven-day and 14-day average in terms of positive COVID-19 tests.

COVID-19 Positive % on 3 Day Average

      • Zip Code 10950: 21.3% (Orange County)
      • Zip Code 10952: 11.7% (Rockland County)
      • Zip Code 10977: 11.8% (Rockland County)

COVID-19 Positive % on 7 Day Average

        • Zip Code 10950: 17.6% (Orange County)
        • Zip Code 10952: 12.8% (Rockland County)
        • Zip Code 10977: 12.1% (Rockland County)

COVID-19 Positive % on 14 Day Average

            • Zip Code 10950: 17.2% (Orange County)
            • Zip Code 10952: 13.0% (Rockland County)
            • Zip Code 10977: 12.1% (Rockland County)

Cuomo said the state doesn' have the same level of testing problems in the Orange and Rockland County hotspots as in New York City. However, late Monday, Orange County officials decided to take action.

The Orange County Health Department closed all public, private and religious schools as well as educational facilities in the Village of Kiryas Joel and Town of Palm Tree.

"This includes schools which are not physical located in the above-Ordered town or village but have students whose primary resident is in those localities and any transportation services, public or private, shall not transport those students to said schools," the order states.

The schools must close for at least two weeks and can't reopen without clearance from the Orange County Department of Health. The schools will remain closed until the town or village's seven-day COVID-19 positive percent rate is below nine percent, officials say.

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