Faster opening of daycare centers and schools?
Lisa Weidner studied German and sociology and completed several journalistic internships. She is a volunteer at Hubert Burda Media Verlag and writes for the "Meine Familie und Ich" magazine and on nutrition and health topics.
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The proposal triggers new discussions: Several medical societies are in favor of fully opening daycare centers and at least primary schools "promptly". So far it has always been said that regular operation will not be possible for months.
Several medical societies are calling for an end to emergency operations in kindergartens and schools and for the facilities to be reopened immediately and without restrictions. In a joint statement, the German Society for Hospital Hygiene and the Professional Association of Pediatricians, among others, call for this despite the corona pandemic. The protection of teachers, educators, carers and parents and the general hygiene rules do not stand in the way, says the paper, which was first reported by the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung".
The consequences for the children are too serious
Approval comes from Saxony, where daycare centers and elementary schools have now reopened for all children. "We feel encouraged to help the children regain their right to education and participation," said the Saxon minister of education Christian Piwarz (CDU), according to a tweet from his ministry.
"Especially with children under 10 years of age, the current data speak for both a lower infection rate and a significantly lower infection rate." In contrast, the social and health consequences of the closure are serious, write the medical associations.
Demand: reopening without restrictions
Schools and daycare centers across Germany were closed for weeks due to the corona pandemic. School operations have been gradually resumed since the end of April. Students are taught alternately at school and at home and are divided into smaller groups in order to adhere to the rules of distance. The German Teachers' Association had given the prognosis that this could possibly continue well into the next school year. In the meantime, emergency care is being expanded in the daycare centers. When they go back to normal operation, the federal states themselves decide, as well as how to proceed at the schools.
In their statement, the German Society for Hospital Hygiene, the German Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases, the German Academy for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine and the Professional Association of Pediatricians in Germany write: "Daycare centers, kindergartens and primary schools should be reopened as soon as possible" - and without massive restrictions. There would be no need to form small groups. The children neither have to keep their distance nor wear masks. However, this is recommended for teaching and supervisory staff.
Disagreement about the role children play in corona transmission
On the controversial question of how infectious children are, the authors write: "Numerous findings speak against an increased risk of infection by children." Various studies and evaluations "give an increasingly conclusive picture that children in the current Covid-19 pandemic, in contrast to their role in influenza transmission, do not play a prominent role in the spread of the disease."
The doctor and SPD expert Karl Lauterbach wrote on Twitter: "The pediatricians meant it very well. Unfortunately, it is wrong that children are of little importance for the pandemic. They infected themselves and others less often per contact. But because they did have so many contacts, the overall proportion is probably high. "
The deputy parliamentary group deputy of the FDP in the Bundestag, Michael Theurer, replied that Lauterbach had to explain on the basis of which reliable scientific knowledge he contradicted the paediatricians. "In studies in the Netherlands, France and Norway, children played a very minor role in transmission. In Sweden, where schools and daycare centers were open all day, they did not appear to have become sources of infection," he said. (lw / dpa)
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