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Anne Spiegel: Nursery and elementary school children must also have priority when it comes to PCR tests
Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka / dpa
In order to ensure regular operation in daycare centers and schools even with increasing corona numbers, Federal Minister for Family Affairs Anne Spiegel has offered help from the federal government to facilities with a particularly tense staffing situation.
The almost 8,000 pedagogical specialists from the federal programs "Language Daycare Centers" and "Respect Coaches" could "help for six weeks in the facilities to look after the children," said the Green politician to the newspapers of the Funke media group.
“In this way we give the day care centers and schools more flexibility and help to bridge staff shortages,” said Spiegel.
This would help the institutions get through the difficult time ahead.
“The lockdowns over the past two years have taught us painfully how important it is for our children that day-care centers and schools stay open for as long as possible.”
Prioritization of schools and daycare centers required for PCR tests
For several years, the federal government has been promoting positions in educational institutions through the “Language Daycare Centers” and “Respekt Coaches” programs.
The day-care center program focuses on language education, and the »Respect Coaches« are intended to support schools in the fight against extremism, hatred and racism.
In view of the rapid spread of the highly contagious omicron variant, the federal and state governments want to discuss the corona protection regulations on Monday from 2 p.m.
According to the draft resolution, certain groups should be given priority for PCR tests due to limited laboratory capacity.
PCR tests should continue to be available for staff “particularly in hospitals, in practices, in nursing, integration aid facilities and for people at risk of serious illnesses,” it said.
In addition, PCR tests should continue to be used for high-risk patients.
Schools and day-care centers are not mentioned.
Lollipop pool tests save PCR capacity
Before the meeting, Spiegel in the Funke newspapers demanded that educators and children in elementary schools and day care centers also have priority access to PCR tests.
"Should there actually be fewer PCR tests available in the future, educators and daycare and primary school children must also be given priority," she said.
According to the family minister, enough PCR tests are needed to confirm positive rapid tests in children.
»This is the only way we can prevent healthy children from being kept away from daycare or school for an unnecessarily long period.«
This also applies to lollipop pool tests, which would enable a fixed group of children to have safe access to the daycare center.
The lollipop pool tests also contribute to the fact that fewer PCR tests are required, because with the pool tests several children can be tested at the same time using just one PCR method, said Spiegel.
Apr/AFP
