The corona virus is once again determining everyday school life: 50,000 students are in quarantine.
Can a nationwide school closure still be avoided?
German
school operations
will
continue to be severely restricted
by the
coronavirus
*.
The number of
infections is
increasing and more and more
teachers
and
students
are in
quarantine.
If the
trend is
confirmed, the
German Teachers' Association
warns of
a
nationwide school closure
(see original report from September 26th)
.
Update from September 26, 1:07 p.m
.: In view of the severe problems of
schools
in the
corona pandemic
, new, effective
protective measures are
absolutely urgent
(see original notification)
.
The
Federal Environment Agency (UBA) also
believes that extensive
ventilation
of
classrooms is
necessary.
But: in many teaching buildings, this is not so easy if the windows cannot be
opened
at all
, as teachers' associations complain.
Such rooms should
not
actually
be used
for teaching
, said
UBA boss Dirk Messner
now the newspapers of the
Funke media group
.
His suggestion: "If there is no other way, in individual cases and please only support
mobile air exchange
devices." At the same time, he emphasized that ventilation is
no guarantee
of absolute virus freedom.
Coronavirus in Germany: Currently 50,000 students across Germany are in quarantine
Original message from September 26th
: Berlin - everything started again?
Germany has
another record number of
coronavirus infections
.
According to a newspaper report, around
50,000 students have been in quarantine
in
Germany
since the start of the new
school year
.
This was the result of a survey of the responsible
ministries in the federal states
, reported the
Bild
newspaper on Saturday.
"This number shows that we are still in the middle of the pandemic and that this is already having an impact on school operations," said
Federal Education Minister Anja Karliczek
(
CDU
*) the newspaper.
A worrying
trend
, because the more people affected, the more difficult it is
to keep
the number of
corona infections
under control.
The
President of the German Teachers' Association
,
Heinz-Peter Meidinger, also
warned of the further spread of the corona virus in German schools.
"
According to the German Teachers' Association, the
current high number of
50,000 pupils
will more than double in the next three months, and probably even multiply".
Many of the affected students are likely to have already transmitted the coronavirus * to classmates.
The problem increases.
Closed schools and 50,000 people in quarantine: can new measures prevent closure?
But the dispute about further
hygiene measures
is much more difficult than the one about canceled major events or festivals - the cut in the everyday life of children and parents is too great.
An opinion poll by the
daily newspaper also
shows headwinds: for example, less than half of the respondents are behind a
coronavirus-related mask requirement
at schools.
After the
distance rule
is
no longer applicable
, the search for new, effective
protective measures
becomes a
priority
.
Coronavirus in schools: ventilation systems as an important protective measure
A
central protective measure
to prevent
schools from being
closed across
the
board is ventilation
.
But that becomes more and more difficult with the onset of the cold season *.
“The schools urgently need orientation and support, the cold season begins now.
The ventilation
control 20-5-20 becomes a huge
educational challenge
in rain and low temperatures
.
That was not taken into account enough “, warned the
education and science union (GEW)
, the
education and upbringing association (VBE)
and the
Federal Parents' Council (BER)
at a meeting in Frankfurt.
According to
the associations, too many questions remained unanswered
at the
Standing Conference
.
Many of those involved also advocate the
use of air filter systems to reduce
the risk of infection.
(2) Classes with air filter devices are scientifically monitored, control classes are evaluated.
If air filter systems are effective, their costs are far below the price of good masks for school classes for 1 year.
The systems cost the equivalent of 10 € / student / month, which is little
- Karl Lauterbach (@Karl_Lauterbach) September 25, 2020
Permanently homeschooling?
- “A disaster for our children's future and educational opportunities”.
Whether
air filter systems or compulsory masks
*: It is clear that nothing should be left
unturned in
order to make regular lessons possible. If the trend is confirmed, there is a threat of a
switch to homeschooling
and the "real danger of renewed
area-wide school closings
" warns
Meidinger
to
Bild
. That would be "a catastrophe for our children's future and educational opportunities". (vs) * Merkur.de is part of the Ippen Digital editorial network