Schools in three Western Washington counties ordered closed through April 24

OLYMPIA – Public and private schools in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties will be closed starting no later than next Tuesday and won’t reopen until after April 24.

Gov. Jay Inslee and school officials are set to announce an emergency order on the closures, which will affect 43 school districts in the state’s most populous counties, as a way to contain the spread of COVID-19.

On Wednesday, Inslee announced that gatherings of more than 250 people in those three counties, the state’s three most populous, will be canceled or postponed

That emergency order covers concerts, religious services, festivals and athletic contests in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties. Inslee said it was “highly likely” the order will be extended beyond March, and could be extended to other areas of the state if the COVID-19 virus spreads.

He also suggested at that point that other measures were likely.