Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) announced today that all public and private K-12 schools in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties will close for the next six weeks.

This decision impacts 43 school districts throughout the three counties. Public health officials hope the science-driven decision can help minimize COVID-19 exposure in Washington counties hit hardest by the virus.

Schools will close from Tuesday, March 15 through Friday, April 24. The timing will coincide with spring break for most Washington school districts.

“We do not take these decisions lightly and I am fully aware of the various impacts this has on families and communities,” Inslee said today during an Olympia press conference.

“Today’s decision has a full range of implications from learning plans and childcare, to free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch, just to name a few. I anticipate this will cause ripple effects throughout our state. But we can’t afford not to do it. We must ensure that we slow the spread of this virus,” he said.

Inslee said the virus in Washington has reached a tipping point where a long-term school closure is within the public health’s best and most crucial interest.

Officials are seeing the number of the number of confirmed cases within the Puget Sound area double every 5–7 days, Inslee said he doesn’t expect this to slow down any time soon.