Fear of an onslaught of "runny noses"

Hanna Helder studied German language and literature at the Albert Ludwig University in Freiburg. In addition to her studies, she has gained a lot of experience in radio and print journalism through internships and freelance work. She has been at the Burda School of Journalism since October 2018 and writes, among other things, as a trainee for

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After the summer comes the cough and runny nose season. Pediatricians fear that their practices will be particularly full this time because parents, schools and daycare centers are unsettled and suspect a corona infection behind every cold.

Doctors prepare for a stress test

Germany's pediatricians are preparing for a stress test in the second half of the year due to the corona pandemic. "We are indeed afraid that there will be a rush to our pediatric and adolescent medical practices from autumn," said the president of the professional association of pediatricians, Thomas Fischbach, of the German press agency.

In the time of the infection one is well busy every year, “and that with a general shortage of pediatricians and adolescents. If, however, children are also sent now, where every runny nose is seen as an indication of Covid-19 and a test is required, then we will not be able to cope with this on our own. "

"It is not affordable to test every child with these symptoms."

The association also criticized the current test criteria of the Robert Koch Institute, according to which doctors are recommended to initiate a corona test for "acute respiratory symptoms of any severity (...) in all patients regardless of risk factors". Small children in particular had these symptoms very frequently in the context of common respiratory infections. “So it is simply not affordable to test every child with these symptoms. And it doesn't make sense either. ”If large-scale tests are wanted, it is a primary task of the public health service.

According to the chairman of the German Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Johannes Huebner, only a laboratory test can provide clarity as to whether it is an "ordinary" infection or an infection with the new type of coronavirus. "A common cold without a fever or a mild cold that subsides in less than 3 days does not have to be clarified with regard to coronavirus."

Generous waiting day regulation required

Fischbach demanded, among other things, that parents with minor infections should be able to keep their children at home for several days without a doctor's certificate and be able to care for them in good health. "For this, however, a generous waiting day regulation is finally required for the caring parents, who in some cases already have to fear for their jobs." (Hh / dpa)

In the expert interview, the press spokeswoman for the professional association of paediatricians e. V. in Lower Saxony on the subject. You will also find answers to the most important questions in our FAQ: What to do with children with colds in Corona times?

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