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Children play in the playground of a daycare center: 87 outbreaks per week
Photo: Sina Schuldt / picture alliance / dpa
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), there are more corona outbreaks in day care centers.
The numbers in children and adolescents under 15 even rose "very rapidly," said RKI boss Lothar Wieler.
There are also more infected people per daycare outbreak.
In the second half of February there were 87 outbreaks per week, explained an RKI spokeswoman.
Wieler spoke of a possible connection with the more contagious British variant B.1.1.7.
Small children often have no symptoms with corona infections and have often not been tested, which is why experts have suspected a fairly high number of unreported cases in this group since the beginning of the pandemic.
A good two weeks ago, on February 22nd, additional elementary schools and daycare centers were opened in a number of federal states.
In this context, there were also more test offers.
Wieler contradicted the impression of an "artificial increase in the number of cases" that the increase was not related to increased testing.
After the incidence in children between 0 and 4 years of age had dropped to around 35 in mid-February, it was 60 last reporting week, as can be seen from the RKI figures (as of 9 March).
Despite the increase, it is still the lowest value among the age groups up to 19 years.
From the point of view of infection protection, it is “a good way” to close daycare centers and schools, said Wieler.
But you have to weigh up.
Smart, clear concepts for tests, masks, hygiene and group formation, for example, have to be implemented in the facilities.
"It will not protect 100 percent" - but the spread of the infection can be prevented to a large extent.
Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn (CDU) added: Infection protection is important, but not absolute.
A debate about the effects of months of school closings is also important.
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kha / dpa