NEW YORK - A week after closing New York City public schools for in-person learning, the Mayor says he should have had a plan to reopen them before ordering the shutdown.

“I have to hold myself responsible,” de Blasio said. “The better situation would have been clearly to have that plan all worked through in advance.”

The school buildings were closed last Thursday after the seven-day average COVID-19 positivity rate hit 3%, according to the city’s metrics. Back in September, de Blasio imposed that threshold as the trigger to shut them down.

At his daily news conference, de Blasio said his administration had been too focused on putting forward measures that would keep the number below 3%, and that it should have had a plan B ready.

The Mayor said he will be unveiling a phased reopening plan next week. Parents will have to sign a consent form to allow their children to get tested for COVID-19 if they want them to go back for in-person learning. Schools for children with special needs will be the first ones to reopen. The Mayor also announced the Health and Hospitals system has performed more than one million COVID-19 tests since March.

Two days before Black Friday, at the beginning of this holiday shopping season, the Mayor encouraged New Yorkers to spend their money at local businesses, which have been hard hit by the pandemic. The city will be unveiling a citywide marketing effort titled “Shop Your City.”

De Blasio also asked New Yorkers to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on television. He said he doesn’t expect crowds this year, since the event will be scaled down to cover just one block.