Updated March 18, 7:07 p.m.

Gov. Jared Polis issued an executive order Wednesday evening closing all of the state's schools to in-person learning from March 23 to at least April 17 to guard against the spread of the coronavirus.

“We are acting boldly and swiftly together to protect the health and safety of all Coloradans. The science and data tells us this will get worse before it gets better,” Polis said. “We are in this together and the state is taking the necessary actions to slow the spread of this disease.”

The governor also announced that the state Department of Public Health and Environment had issued a public health order that goes into effect Thursday morning, March 19, and "will limit all mass gatherings to no more than 10 people for the next 30 days unless otherwise extended by the executive director of CDPHE."