DER TAGSSPIEGEL: Low corona risk in children: This is behind the medical requirement for school openings
date：2020-05-20 22:05author：小编source：DER TAGSSPIEGELviews：
Four medical societies have demanded that schools open completely again. An overview of their arguments - and the reactions of the Berlin Senate. （GEORG ISMAR, SYLVIA VOGT ROBERT KIESEL）
The opening of schools is controversial. PHOTO: DPA / MASCHA BRICHTA
It is an unequivocal request to the federal and state governments: four medical societies are calling for kindergartens and schools to be fully reopened despite the corona pandemic.
"Numerous findings speak against an increased risk of infection from children," says the 13-page statement by the German Society for Hospital Hygiene, the Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases, the German Academy for Children and Adolescent Medicine and the professional association for children and adolescents. In children under the age of 10, the data also suggest a lower infection rate.
So far, only in Saxony have primary schools and daycare centers reopened to everyone this week. In the federal government, school and daycare closures, which have been carried out successively in all 16 federal states following a federal / state conference in the chancellery, are considered one of the most controversial measures.
Experts warn of the social consequences of school closures
Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) emphasized after the meeting on March 13 that temporary closure is an option in regions with a dynamic outbreak. But afterwards, despite differing assessments among virologists, all federal states declared school and daycare closings across the board.
Experts have repeatedly stressed the social and psychological consequences of closings, especially in households where children live in a confined space.
For example, the president of the teachers' association, Heinz-Peter Meidinger, warned of new divisions that millions of pupils could be left behind when learning through lack of support from their parents. There is also plenty of evidence of an increase in domestic violence against children in the corona crisis.
Nationwide, there have been no new infections in 59 circles for a week, and there are only around 10,000 active coronavirus cases in total.
Experts have repeatedly stressed the social and psychological consequences of closings, especially in households where children live in a confined space.
For example, the president of the teachers' association, Heinz-Peter Meidinger, warned of new divisions that millions of pupils could be left behind when learning through lack of support from their parents. There is also plenty of evidence of an increase in domestic violence against children in the corona crisis.
Nationwide, there have been no new infections in 59 circles for a week, and there are only around 10,000 active coronavirus cases in total.
Very few children are infected
The medical societies emphasize that the share of children up to 10 years of age in all positively tested patients has been one to two percent and reach a maximum of six percent by the age of 20. Of around 175,000 infections in Germany by May 17, 3,295 were children under the age of 10 and 7,524 children and adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19.
A reopening of day care centers, kindergartens and elementary schools is possible for the children without forming small groups, keeping their distance and wearing a mask. The question of "the lasting consistency of the respective group and avoidance of intermingling" is more important than the group size.
Children could also be given playful instruction in basic hygiene rules. This would also have "significant positive effects on the spread" of many other pathogens in such facilities.
A reopening of day care centers, kindergartens and elementary schools is possible for the children without forming small groups, keeping their distance and wearing a mask. The question of "the lasting consistency of the respective group and avoidance of intermingling" is more important than the group size.
Children could also be given playful instruction in basic hygiene rules. This would also have "significant positive effects on the spread" of many other pathogens in such facilities.
Berlin sticks to the gradual opening course
The Senate Education Administration in Berlin sees no reason to change the course of the gradual school and daycare openings.
"As long as the protection against infection requires, we adhere to the appropriate hygiene and distance rules, for the benefit of children and adolescents and educational staff," said a spokesman for Education Senator Sandra Scheeres (SPD). In Berlin, several grades have now returned to schools for classroom instruction , albeit limited.
In daycare centers, children from parents with systemically relevant occupations receive emergency care . Since last week, preschool children and their siblings have been able to go back to the daycare centers for half a day.
The reproduction factor referred to as the “R value” rose from 0.79 to 1.07 in Berlin within a week. This threatens to switch one of the three traffic lights in the Senate's early warning system to yellow. This occurs when the value is above 1.1 for three consecutive days.
Interior Senator Andreas Geisel (SPD) spoke Tuesday of a "fragile situation". At the same time, he announced further easing for "late May / early June". Gyms and outdoor cinemas could benefit from this. Geisel explained that all restrictions on freedom of assembly should also be lifted.
Source:https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/geringes-corona-risiko-bei-kindern-das-steckt-hinter-der-mediziner-forderung-nach-schuloeffnungen/25844712.html
"As long as the protection against infection requires, we adhere to the appropriate hygiene and distance rules, for the benefit of children and adolescents and educational staff," said a spokesman for Education Senator Sandra Scheeres (SPD). In Berlin, several grades have now returned to schools for classroom instruction , albeit limited.
In daycare centers, children from parents with systemically relevant occupations receive emergency care . Since last week, preschool children and their siblings have been able to go back to the daycare centers for half a day.
The reproduction factor referred to as the “R value” rose from 0.79 to 1.07 in Berlin within a week. This threatens to switch one of the three traffic lights in the Senate's early warning system to yellow. This occurs when the value is above 1.1 for three consecutive days.
Interior Senator Andreas Geisel (SPD) spoke Tuesday of a "fragile situation". At the same time, he announced further easing for "late May / early June". Gyms and outdoor cinemas could benefit from this. Geisel explained that all restrictions on freedom of assembly should also be lifted.
Source:https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/geringes-corona-risiko-bei-kindern-das-steckt-hinter-der-mediziner-forderung-nach-schuloeffnungen/25844712.html
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