Corona: Highest incidence values ​​among schoolchildren

Enlarge image

Schoolchildren taking the rapid test (at a vocational school in Munich)

Photo: Sven Hoppe / dpa

The attempt to standardize the state regulations in the corona school policy with the help of the federal emergency brake has failed.

Since Monday, at least in theory, if there is a seven-day incidence, over 100 alternating lessons with smaller study groups should take place, from a value of 165 distance lessons.

But a number of federal states deviate from this.

Sun announced

Schleswig-Holstein

Education Minister Karin at Prien to send starting at an incidence of 50 all students from grade 7 in the change instruction. From a value of 100 onwards, “the tried and tested rule” remains that distance learning takes place for all children and young people. However, deviations are possible “in individual cases after consultation with the local health department”.

Even

Bayern

relies on stricter limits than they are formulated in the Bundesnotbremse.

"For the time being, the new version of the Infection Protection Act by the federal government will not change anything for teaching," says the Ministry of Culture's website.

Above a seven-day incidence of 100, distance learning generally applies - "with the exception of the final grades, grade 11 at grammar schools and technical colleges and grade 4 at elementary schools".

Infection records in adolescents

In contrast, in

Saxony

, where a number of critics of the new school regulations had spoken out in the past few days.

Before the emergency brake came into force, Saxony opened schools regardless of incidence values.

The fact that there are now mandatory limit values ​​for alternating and distance teaching is "disappointing," criticizes the Saxon Teachers' Association.

There is a broad "lack of understanding among the teaching staff that the great efforts that we have made in Saxony for safety in schools and ensuring classroom teaching have not been taken into account in federal legislation."

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In view of the current number of infections, the persistent clinging to face-to-face classes is astonishing: In the past week, the seven-day incidence in 15 to 19-year-olds in Saxony was 367, unreached in Germany, as reported by the MDR.

Within just under six weeks, the number of infections among children and adolescents in Saxony has increased eightfold - with some dramatic regional peaks: the incidence among 15 to 19-year-olds in the Zwickau district was 579, in Chemnitz it was 10 to 14 Year olds have an incidence of nearly 700.

Nationwide, too, the infection rate is increasingly shifting towards the age groups of children and adolescents in schools.

Current figures from the Robert Koch Institute for the past week show the highest incidence values ​​of all age groups among five- to 24-year-olds.

The incidence value does not allow any conclusions to be drawn about where someone was infected.

But in view of these nationwide figures, it is at least astonishing if those responsible continue to adhere to the general statement: "Schools are not Corona hotspots".

This is what the head of the Cologne Office for School Development, Anne Lena Ritter, recently claimed in an interview with the »Kölner Stadtanzeiger«.

Increasing numbers after the Easter holidays

A look at the infections in the various age groups since the beginning of the pandemic shows that the high incidence figures in children and adolescents are not a short-term phenomenon.

The Robert Koch Institute has long been warning against excessive carelessness when schools are opened.

The RKI management report on Wednesday states: »The incidence of reports among children and adolescents in all age groups is currently increasing again.

This is particularly pronounced in the 6- to 14-year-old age groups. "

The extent to which the nationwide increased tests in schools also contribute to this is not stated. But the experts from the Robert Koch Institute point to another visible effect - namely through school closings: "The data on outbreaks in daycare centers and schools have shown an increasing trend since the end of the Easter holidays." reached roughly the level of autumn 2020.

The debate about the limit values ​​for school closings is now being overshadowed by the discussion about new vaccination options.

On the one hand, unions like the GEW are calling for a quick vaccination of all teaching staff - which has been implemented in some federal states, but has so far been rejected in others.

On the other hand, the announcement that in a few months' time children will also be able to be vaccinated provides new mind games for even faster school openings.

However, giving priority to schoolchildren for vaccination is impractical, says SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach: If the young people are immunized from June onwards, the vaccines are missing from other people.

Because the approval for under-18-year-olds unfortunately does not increase the amount of the vaccine that is available overall.