MASSACHUSETTS — Several Massachusetts school districts are closing for anywhere from a week to a month as officials scramble to curtail the spread of the new coronavirus.

Everett Public Schools was the first to announce a prolonged break, saying Thursday afternoon it would cancel class for 30 days. Arlington, Bedford, Belmont, Burlington, Lexington and Winchester followed suit soon after, saying they were closing until March 27.

The announcements come as Massachusetts — and the country — continues to grind to a halt in a flurry of cancellations and postponements in the face of the contagious coronavirus, or COVID-19.

The Boston Marathon was postponed, with officials eyeing a fall date. The Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins will be off for the foreseeable future as MLB, the NBA and NHL suspended all league operations.