City Council Speaker Corey Johnson is calling for the city's public schools to be closed in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

While specific schools affected by coronavirus have been temporarily closed, the public school system has not.

Johnson suggested during an interview on Mornings on 1 Friday that schools should be shut down "at least temporarily."

"It's not time to panic, but it is time to act," he said.

Johnson reiterated the call to close schools on Twitter later in the morning. 

"Teaching and learning can not (sic) take place under these circumstances for the safety and well being of the teachers and students," he wrote.

He added that the city needs to come up with a plan for child care relief for parents who need it, as well as food and medical service for students who need those.

The mayor and schools chancellor have consistently stressed a desire for schools to remain open. Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza reiterated that call Friday morning on Mornings on 1.

 
"As long as we can, we are going to make sure that schools are open. That's where kids have a safe place, they have a place to eat, they have a place to be," says Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza.
 
He did add that "as circumstances warrant, we're ready to do what we need to do to keep kids and staff safe."
 
At a press briefing Thursday, the mayor indicated he intends to avoid any widespread or long-term closures.
 
"Where do our children go? And if our children have nowhere to go, then their parents can't go to work, and that includes a lot of parents we depend on, first responders, health care professionals. It's a very slippery slope," de Blasio said.