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Following Gov. Andrew Cuomo's executive order waiving the 180-day requirement for school districts to receive state aid, counties that issue emergency declarations can close schools without penalty. 

Beginning at 4 p.m. Friday, March 20, schools in Onondaga County will be closed. Schools will remain closed through Monday, April 13. All nonessential school activities, including athletics, have been canceled. 

There are no confirmed coronavirus cases in Onondaga County, McMahon said. Twenty-six people have tested negative for COVID-19. 

But with the number of cases rising across New York — there are confirmed cases in Herkimer and Tompkins counties — officials are preparing for the inevitable spread of the virus to Onondaga County. 

The primary reason schools will close next week, McMahon explained, is to give parents time to plan for childcare. Another consideration is that for many students who participate in nutrition programs, the only meals they get are when they're at school. 

McMahon also noted that medical professionals in the community have children who attend Onondaga County schools. 

"These are our front-line heroes ... To have them at home without making good plans could be detrimental to the curve on our medical infrastructure," he said. 

If there is a positive test in Onondaga County over the next few days, the school closing date will move up to Wednesday, March 18. 

While schools will be in session for the next week, children whose parents choose to keep them at home won't be punished. McMahon said the county's superintendents agreed that it will be considered a legal absence if a parent opts to have their child stay home from school. 

As of Saturday, there are at least 524 confirmed coronavirus cases in New York. At least two deaths have been reported. In both cases, the patients had underlying medical conditions when they contracted the virus.