(AP) - New York’s schools and colleges will remain shut through the end of the academic year because of the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday.

The order, which applies to 4.2 million students statewide, continues a shutdown order that was set to expire May 15. Cuomo said it is simply too risky to reopen at a time when the virus is still sending nearly 1,000 people into the hospital every day.

“We must protect our children. Every parent and citizen feels that,” he said.

A decision about whether to allow summer school will be deferred until the end of May, he said. Whenever schools are allowed to reopen, each district would need to have its plan to do so approved by the state.

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The state’s largest school district, in New York City, had already determined it could not reopen before the scheduled end of the school year in June.

Mayor Bill De Blasio had announced April 11 that the city would rely on remote learning through the end of the school year.

At the time, Cuomo had dismissed De Blasio’s announcement as an “opinion,” saying the governor had the power to make decisions on a statewide basis.

Schools nationwide are evaluating whether they will keep schools closed, and even continue remote learning in the fall.

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