California Gov. Gavin Newsom says schools can't reopen within the 32 counties on the state's COVID-19 'watch list'

• California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that schools in the 32 counties on the state's "watch list" could not reopen in the fall unless they stay off the list for two straight weeks.
• Thirty-two of the state's 58 counties are on the watch list because of surging COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
• The state's two largest school districts announced Monday they would conduct remote classes.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered schools within the 32 counties on the state's "watch list" to conduct remote classes this fall.

In a Friday press conference, Newsom said schools in the counties could not reopen with physical classes until they get — and stay — off the list for two consecutive weeks. Even then, school districts and public-health officials will play a hand in deciding if and when they reopen, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. For schools that are reopening, students in third grade and above must wear masks, the governor said.

The 32 counties, out of the state's 58, are on the watch list because of a high number of coronavirus infections and hospitalizations. Most Bay Area counties, including San Francisco and Santa Clara, are on the list, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The announcement comes as California, as well as other states, continues to slam the brakes on reopening plans amid rising confirmed cases of COVID-19. There are at least 356,000 confirmed cases in the state, with 7,345 reported deaths.

On Monday, the Los Angeles and San Diego school districts, the state's largest, announced they would stick to distance learning when the school year starts in August, CNN reported.