After two school closings due to Corona cases in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Bavaria's Minister of Education, Michael Piazolo, is also thinking about possible measures.
- The possible mask requirement in class leads to heated discussions. (Update from August 9, 8:19 a.m.)
- Education Minister Michael Piazolo is thinking about measures in schools with corona cases. (Update from August 8, 1:26 p.m.)
- A dispute in the Bavarian government escalates, there are serious allegations (update from August 7, 2:22 p.m.)
- Here you will find the basic facts about the coronavirus * and the corona news from Germany. The most important information about the topic is also available on our Facebook page Corona News.
Update from August 9th, 8:19 am: There are still holidays in Bavaria , but the question of how things should go on in schools in the Free State with regard to the worldwide corona pandemic is still being hotly debated. Opinions differ, especially when it comes to the general requirement to wear a mask in class. Most recently, North Rhine-Westphalia announced that it would introduce a general mask requirement for students in class . The Bavarian Minister of Culture Michael Piazolo had already indicated last week that he would be from a certain increase in the number of infections would also advocate a mask requirement in class.
Corona in Bavaria: Fierce discussion about mask requirement in class
The President of the Bavarian Teachers' Association (BLLV) Simone Fleischmann said that the political decisions would have to be accepted, but emphasized that teaching with a mask was “not normal teaching” and would have negative social and emotional consequences for the children pull.
The chairman of the state parents' association of high schools , Susanne Arndt, warned: "The measure that children and teachers generally wear a mask for several hours in class should be the absolute last resort." Because the consequences of such a measure are not foreseeable. The students themselves have meanwhile also spoken out. The spokesman for the state student council of the secondary schools in Bavaria, Lucas Pflugeder, said that the mask requirement should only apply to the place, but not in the classroom, otherwise the classroom would be too restricted.
Mask requirement in class? Discussion about corona rules in Bavarian schools
But there are also voices in favor of the general mask requirement in class . The chairman of the philologists' association, Michael Schwägerl, said that a general mask requirement in class had not yet been ruled out. "When the number of infections increases, masks in the classroom are certainly the lesser evil compared to a weekly change model or a complete school closure." how teachers have to breathe behind masks for hours: If masks are really effective in protecting health, you should use this remedy. "
Corona in Bavaria: Piazzolo comments on school plans - is mask compulsory in class?
Update from August 8, 1:26 p.m.: There are still summer holidays in Bavaria. But Minister of Education Michael Piazolo (FW) is already thinking about how things will continue after the vacation period. The politician is particularly concerned with dealing with Corona in schools. Of course, he did not miss the two school closings in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania due to infected students.
This extreme measure could also be used in Bavaria . "If a student has had many encounters, then it can happen (school closings, editor's note)," said Piazolo in an interview with the radio station Bayern 2 on Saturday. A complete closure of an institution is only the very last resort, said the Minister of Education . If schools take care to form small groups and also to stratify break times, it could be that only individual classes or part of the school are sent home, says Piazolo .
The politician left no doubt about his intention to return to normal school operations after the holidays . Of course, only under strict hygiene requirements . Should there be more than 20 infections per 100,000 inhabitants, "then we would also make mask compulsory in class," says the Minister of Education .
Corona in Bavaria: "Dubious Corona Shopping Tour"? Serious allegations against Aiwanger - he reacts strictly
Update from 2:22 p.m.: The dispute over purchases by the Ministry of Economics in the corona pandemic escalates. The SPD member of the state parliament Florian von Brunn criticizes the procurement as a "dubious Corona shopping tour". Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters) rejected the criticism as "typically destructive SPD condescension ".
The current dispute is particularly about the procurement of 31 hot water disinfection devices for almost one million euros. "The father of the company owner is one of Mr. Aiwanger's hunting friends," says von Brunn. "That raises the question of whether everything went smoothly there or whether it is a waste of taxpayers' money and a classic case of special economy ".
The Ministry of Economic Affairs emphasizes that the public procurement regulations have been complied with. "The essential criterion for the selection of the company in the pandemic case was the fast and safe delivery", it says in a statement. The company relied on local suppliers "who were able to provide the required goods reliably and promptly".
Corona dispute in Bavarian government escalates: Aiwanger reacts violently to criticism
Von Brunn continues to see the purchase as critical, "because the devices are not needed to combat corona ," as he says. “28 pieces are unused in the central warehouse of the State Office for Health and Food Safety. Only three were given to fire schools ”. The Ministry of Economic Affairs, however, says that some of the devices are now in use to disinfect the tents in the corona test station at the Donautal-Ost motorway service station near Passau. "The BRK is very satisfied with the results so far and has already identified possible uses."
Aiwanger responded personally to the criticism: "During the crisis, when we worked day and night, these know-it-alls were in shock for weeks," he told the SPD. “Now they come sneaking in to denigrate everything and assume personal motives because I've worked with local companies. If they had a spark of character, they would refrain from such nasty things, especially because Corona is not even over and we don't know what disinfection equipment is still needed, see Mamming. "
Corona in Bavaria: is there no second wave? "I am not sure"
Update from August 7th, 9.26 a.m.: The hospitals in Bavaria see themselves well equipped for future corona outbreaks . "We still have corona patients a few, but the situation is absolutely manageable and no comparison to spring," as the head of the Bavarian Hospital Society (BKG), Siegfried Hasenbein, told the Münchner Merkur . “I'm not a virologist. But I'm not sure if a second wave will come at all. At least not if you mean infection numbers like in February and March. The entire crisis management has gained significantly in experience, "he explained.
The hospitals are also better prepared." A lot is better than in the spring. And even then, our health system was not overloaded. "He was therefore" cautiously optimistic "- however also concerned, "because the sensitivity and sense of responsibility of some citizens is waning. We were very disciplined in the spring. This is an important reason why we got off relatively lightly".
Gemüsehof in Bavaria as a corona hotspot: More than 240 infected people - is Söder now calling for a crisis meeting?
Update from August 6, 5:29 p.m.: In view of the current corona developments, Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder calls his cabinet together on Monday (August 10) - for a video conference. As the state chancellery announced, Söder will head the switch from the home ministry in Nuremberg.
Söder and the cabinet want to advise on the current situation, in particular on the nationwide increase in numbers, including those returning from vacation. The corona outbreak in Mamming should also be an issue. The situation in the new test centers should be discussed as well as the question of a possible expansion of corona risk areas .
Söder calls the cabinet together: Corona timetable after summer holidays should be the topic
The next timetable after the summer vacation should also be discussed. Education Minister Michael Piazolo (Free Voters) had recently presented a four-step plan, according to which a mask requirement should apply to the place in the classroom, even in elementary schools. If the number of infections is high, a mask requirement should also apply in class.
Vegetable farm in Bavaria as a corona hotspot: More than 240 infected people - other operations affected
Update from 3:06 p.m.: Employees at the Mamminger canning factory in Simbach have also tested positive for the corona virus . Seven were infected, and 79 employees had negative test results. The district office Dingolfing-Landau announced on Thursday.
At the beginning of the week it became known that 166 of 600 employees at the Mamming site had been infected with Sars-CoV-2 . This was followed by serial tests at two other locations in Simbach and Eichendorf. Of the 83 tested employees in Eichendorf, none was infected, it said. A finding is still pending.
According to the district office, the canning factory remains closed at all locations. The work there can only continue once the background of the outbreak and its spread in the company have been clarified. It is suspected that the workers were infected by workers at a nearby vegetable farm . More than 240 harvest workers have now tested positive there, and the majority are considered to have recovered.
Update from August 6, 12:04 p.m .: A doctor criticizes the conditions at a corona test station at a rest stop near the A3 near Passau. He collects 3,000 euros himself - but volunteers do most of the work.
Vegetable farm in Bavaria becomes Corona hotspot: Farmer fails with a move - and must now expect serious consequences
Update from August 5, 7:31 p.m .: In Mamming, Lower Bavaria, there was a corona outbreak on a vegetable farm . Now 17 more seasonal workers have tested positive. As reported by the Dingolfing-Landau district office on Wednesday evening, 231 men and women who were previously considered healthy had been examined a third time. "17 of them have been shown to carry the Covid-19 virus, 214 were also tested negative a third time," said the authority. The newly infected have now been separated from the healthy.
Around 230 harvest workers had previously tested positive for the virus. 80 workers are currently considered sick. The others have recovered and were allowed to leave the quarantine. Employees at a nearby canning factory in Mamming were also infected. 166 of the approximately 600 employees tested positive. As a result, series tests were also initiated at two other locations of the company. "The evaluation is still ongoing," reported the district authority.
No mask and no minimum distance: Bamberg's Lord Mayor Andreas Starke (SPD) has now got into trouble.
Corona cases on vegetable farm in Mamming: Farmer fails with attempt
Update from August 5, 2020, 9:59 a.m.: After numerous corona cases on the vegetable farm in Mamming , Lower Bavaria , the farmer failed in court with an attempt to allow harvest workers who tested negative for coronavirus * to work for him again. The Regensburg Administrative Court confirmed a decision by the Dingolfing-Landau district office, which had ordered a complete home quarantine for all employees on the farm as a protective measure against further spread of the virus . The judges rejected the vegetable farmer's application for an interim order.
The farmer had argued that the use of the harvest workers who tested negative was urgent because the main harvest time for pickling cucumbers only lasted until mid-August. Without the harvest workers, a total failure of this year's cucumber harvest can be expected. That in turn is threatening the existence of the farmer , said the court.
The court ruled that the administrative decision was “discretionary and proportionate. The complete isolation of the harvest workers is particularly necessary to stop the uncontrolled spread of the virus, ”it said. "Despite the serious economic impact for the applicant, it is also appropriate, since Sars-CoV-2 poses a major risk to the health of the population with the risk of serious disease courses."
"Bitter news" from the Bavarian Corona hotspot: Over 160 new cases - and things can get worse
Update from August 4, 2020, 8:40 p.m.: In a canning factory in Mamming, 166 out of 600 employees tested positive for the corona virus. "It was to be expected, but it is still bitter news," said District Administrator Werner Bumeder (CSU). All employees are in quarantine and the company is temporarily shut down.
"The rapidly progressing and high numbers of infections suggest that the coronavirus had broken out there a long time ago and that is why so many employees are now infected," it said. Experts from the State Office for Health and Food Safety, who got an idea of the infection rate in Lower Bavaria, also assumed this.
Coronavirus Bavaria: The case causes trouble in the government coalition
It would not be self-contained unit more and if there were infections in Bavaria's authorities had well with hard steps up to a lockdown and regional curfews responded, according to CSU circles. The case is causing trouble in the governing coalition . In an unusually harsh communication, the Free Voters parliamentary group demanded from Health Minister Melanie Huml (CSU) that she had to “develop a strategy for local infection events”, otherwise Bavaria would face a lockdown . Huml needs "warning and incentive".
Coronavirus in Bavaria: The situation at the vegetable farm seems to be easing
The processing company produces canned vegetables and sauerkraut . It is located near a vegetable farm, where around 230 harvest workers had previously tested positive (we reported). The authorities therefore assume that there has been a transfer from employees of the farm to employees of the canning factory.
In the meantime, the situation at the vegetable farm seems to be easing: 66 infected employees are currently in quarantine, said a spokeswoman for the district office. Of the three Covid 19 patients in the hospital, two were released. About 250 employees of the vegetable farm were spared for the time being - if their test result is negative again today, they are also allowed to leave the quarantine. A good two dozen police officers are still monitoring compliance with the quarantine in the two factories. Two other locations of the canning factory in Simbach and Eichendorf are currently closed. The 130 employees were also tested - the result is still pending.
District Administrator Bumeder fears far-reaching consequences for vegetable growing in Lower Bavaria. After all, numerous farmers deliver their vegetables to the canning factory, which is now closed for the time being. Miriam Uhrich and Christian Deutschländer
First report from August 4, 2020, 12.40 p.m .: Mamming - The situation in the Corona hotspot Mamming in Lower Bavaria is not easing. After there was an outbreak among harvest workers on a vegetable farm, there are now new cases of infection . As reported by the Dingolfing-Landau district office , 166 out of 600 employees in a canning factory tested positive for the corona virus * .
“The entire operation is temporarily shut down,” the district office continues. All employees of the company are currently in quarantine , as are 130 employees at two other company locations.
"Bitter news" from the Bavarian corona hotspot: Over 160 new cases - numbers could continue to rise
After an initial test, it became known over the weekend that 43 workers in the factory had been infected with the corona virus * . To ensure that no more workers are affected, a new test was ordered. "The high number of new infections is of course a major setback," said District Administrator Werner Bumeder (CSU). "But we stick to our assessment that it is a self-contained unit and that there is still only one source of infection ."
The processing company is located near the vegetable farm , where around 230 harvest workers had previously tested positive . The authorities therefore assume that there has been a transfer from employees of the farm to employees of the canning factory .
Corona in Bavaria: Further cases in Bavarian infection hotspot - Further results are still pending
The number of infected people could rise even further: the result of the check-up of the 130 employees at the two other locations of the canning factory is currently still pending, said a spokeswoman for the district office. It is "bitter news", so the district administrator. After all, the temporary closure of the canning factory has far-reaching consequences for the entire vegetable cultivation in Lower Bavaria. Numerous farmers deliver their vegetables to the processing company in Mamming . ( nema with dpa )
Review in the video: Corona mass infection among harvest workers in Mamming
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