63 Philadelphia Schools Closed Friday Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

Greg Argos reports.

TO DEVELOP PLANS FOR A POSSIBLEPROLONGED CLOSURE.SCHOOLS ARE EXPECTED TO REOPENTUESDAY.SOME MONTGOMERY COUNTYRESIDENTS WORK IN THEPHILADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICTWITH THE GOVERNOR CRACKING DOWNON TRAVEL.THAT'S HAVING AN IMPACT ONSCHOOLS IN PHILLY.GREG ARGOS IS LIVE NEAR LOVEPARK TO EXPLAIN OTHERRESTRICTIONS THAT WILL NOW BE INPLACE HERE IN PHILADELPHIA.GREG?Reporter: JESSICA, RIGHT NOWTHERE IS ONLY ONE CONFIRMEDCOVID-19 CASE HERE INPHILADELPHIA BUT WE'RE TOLD 45OTHERS ARE CURRENTLY BEINGTESTED.ALL THE WHILE, HEALTH OFFICIALSHERE IN THE CITY ARE BANNINGLARGE EVENTS TO MAKE SURE THISSPREAD STOPS.MORE PEOPLE WILL GET SICK ANDWE HAVE TO EXPECT THAT THEREWILL BE DEATHS AS A RESULT OFTHIS.Reporter: BUT PHILADELPHIACITY OFFICIALS HOPING STRINGENTNEW POLICIES WILL AT LEAST SLOWTHE SPREAD OF COVID-19 HERE INTHE CITY.EFFECTIVE TODAY, WE AREPROHIBITING PUBLIC GATHERINGSINVOLVING MORE THAN 1,000 PEOPLEIN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA FORTHE NEXT 30 DAYS.REPORTER: HEALTH COMMISSIONERTHOMAS HARLEY SAYS CITYOFFICIALS ARE ALSO RECOMMENDINGCANCELLING GATHERINGS OF MORETHAN 250 PEOPLE.THAT MEANS NO CONCERTS SHOWS ORPERFORMANCES AT MANY OF THECITY'S CULTURAL ICONS.A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE KIMMELCENTER WITH A THREE THOUSANDSEAT CAPACITY SAYS MORE THAN 200PERFORMANCES HAVE BEEN CANCELLEDCONTINUING IN PART, WE ARECURRENTLY WORKING TO RESCHEDULEALL PERFORMANCES TAKING PLACE INOUR VENUES BETWEEN TOMORROWMARCH 13TH AND APRIL 11, 2020.SCHOOL DISTRICT OFPHILADELPHIA WILL CONTINUE TOWORK WITH THE PHILADELPHIADEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TORECEIVE GUIDANCE ON MEASURES WECAN AND SHOULD TAKE TO MINIMIZETHE RISK OF COVID-19.FRIDAY, 63 PHILADELPHIASCHOOLS WILL CLOSE DUE TOSTAFFING ISSUES.DISTRICT OFFICIALS SAY ASIGNIFICANT % OF FACULTY ATTHOSE LOCATIONS LIVE INMONTGOMERY COUNTY, WHOSERESIDENTS ARE UNDER A STATEMANDATE TO WORK FROM HOME UNTILMARCH 27TH.NOW THE ARCHDIOCESE ALSO TRYINGTO LIMIT THE SPREAD OFCORONAVIRUS.THIS AFTERNOON, ARCHBISHOPNELSON PEREZ ON INSTAGRAMSUSPENDING THE OBLIGATION FORCATHOLICS TO ATTEND SUNDAY MASSUNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.HE SAYS MASSES WILL CONTINUE TOBE CELEBRATED AND OPEN TO THEPUBLIC FOR THOSE WHO WISH TOATTEND.