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Pupils with a negative quick test (in Berlin-Neukölln)
Photo: Christoph Soeder / dpa
Pupils in Berlin still have to be tested regularly for Corona in order to be able to take part in classes.
The Berlin Administrative Court ruled on Friday that the obligation to take a self-test before attending school is legal.
It thus rejected several urgent applications against the obligation to test.
Berlin is currently the only federal state to order such corona tests for schoolchildren.
With the Corona Basic Protection Ordinance, the Berlin Senate Administration has stipulated that children and young people may only take part in face-to-face classes if they undergo a test for the corona virus twice a week and the result is negative.
(File number VG 3 L 143/22 and others)
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The court has now determined that there are no serious objections to the obligation to test.
It can be ordered as a necessary protective measure, regardless of an epidemic situation of national importance determined by the Bundestag.
Exposure to Covid remains high
There is also no impermissible unequal treatment of students with employees in office and administration buildings, for whom testing is no longer compulsory.
In principle, it is easier for employees to implement the hygiene measures than in schools, especially in primary school.
The judges stated that there was also no objection to the fact that the Senate administration did not exempt vaccinated and recovered schoolchildren from the obligation to be tested.
Because the Robert Koch Institute continues to assess the overall risk of Covid-19 for the health of the population in Germany as high.
The fact that Berlin is now the only federal state to order compulsory testing in schools is not a violation of the principle of equality in the Basic Law, according to the court.
He only demands equal treatment in the respective area of responsibility of the regulatory authority - in this case only in Berlin.
Complaints can still be lodged with the Berlin-Brandenburg Higher Administrative Court against the decisions.
him/AFP