The list of Island closures and cancellations due to the threat of the coronavirus mounted Friday, including the announcement that all Vineyard schools would close for a two-week hiatus effective Monday.

“After consultation with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Department of Public Health, our local Boards of Health, our district physician and our school administration, I have decided that it would be in the best interest of the Island to cancel school and all extra-curricular activities for the next two weeks,” Superintendent Dr. Matthew D’Andrew said in a news release issued late in the day.

The announcement came on the heels of an order issued by Gov. Charlie Baker prohibiting gatherings in the state of over 250 people.

There were still no confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Martha’s Vineyard as of Friday afternoon, although statewide confirmed cases tripled from 6 to 18 since Thursday, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. In addition, the state reports 105 presumptive cases of covid-19. None of these are in Barnstable, Dukes, Plymouth or Nantucket counties.

Island schools have been reviewing their response to the coronavirus pandemic on a daily basis. In the news release, Mr. D’Andrea said the administrative team would be working over the weekend to plan possible online instruction and will be looking into plans for providing food for families.

“We will keep families posted on our education plan going forward,” the release said, adding that for the moment there is no schoolwork requirement.

Dr. Pete Steedman, head of the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School, said the decision to close that school was difficult.

“We have been in close conversation with our board of health agent,” Mr. Steedman said. “It is not a decision I take lightly. It will put a lot of pressure on our families. But I had to put the safety of our students and our staff first.”

Students at the charter school will not have mandatory lessons at home, he added, because there is no way to guaranteed differentiated education for all constituents online.

“We sent packets home with them today and there are optional enrichment activities online,” he said.

The Vineyard seemed to wake up to the risks of the virus this week, with the pace of closures and cancellations speeding up as the week came to a close. West Tisbury and Chilmark town halls are open only by appointment, Island libraries have canceled all activities and the West Tisbury Library has closed its doors. The Martha’s Vineyard Museum announced it will close through April 17, the YMCA will close until March 30 and Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Polly Hill Arboretum and the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse are closed until further notice. The Tisbury town meeting is postponed, services at the First Congregational Church of West Tisbury, Federated Church of Edgartown and the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center are all canceled and the Harbor View Hotel said it had stopped accepting guests through April 2. The Gazette is maintaining a list of closures and updating the Calendar with event cancellations as they occur. 

Steamship Authority communications director Sean Driscoll said the ferries will continue to run their normal operating schedules.

“I’ve heard some panicked calls about us not running, but we have no plans to shut down and have not been given any edict to stop or alter service,” he said.

Mr. Driscoll also said the SSA has not seen an increase in passengers traveling from Woods Hole to the Vineyard.

“I have not seen any dramatic spike. It’s a normal Friday, not the Fourth of July.”

Steve Bernier, owner of Cronig’s Markets, said he is consolidating his two stores, closing the up-Island store as of this evening in order to focus all its workforce at the Vineyard Haven store.

“We almost went out of control today,” Mr. Bernier said. “I don’t have enough of a crew. I decided we needed to get everyone under one roof.”

Mr. Bernier said he didn’t know how long he would be operating out of just one store.

“I have never been to war like this." he said. "It could be two to three days, two weeks, I have no idea."