Coronavirus in Oklahoma: All Oklahoma public schools to close over COVID-19

All public schools in Oklahoma will close until April 6 in an effort to shield teachers, school staff and more than 700,000 students from the spread of the coronavirus.

The Oklahoma State Board of Education voted to approve school closures during an emergency meeting at 4 p.m. Monday.

All instruction, grading and extracurricular activities will cease for every public, charter and virtual charter school. Certain administrative and maintenance duties will be allowed to continue for school districts, but all operations at the school level will stop. Schools are already closed this week for spring break.

State schools Superintendent Joy Hofmeister said school closures were "a step that needed to be taken."