School in the Corona winter: In Lower Saxony, all the signs point to a drastic tightening of the measures

Despite the lockdown, the number of infections continues to rise.

Stricter corona requirements for schools are becoming more and more likely in Lower Saxony.

An overview.

• Despite the

  lockdown

  ,

  the number of infections is

  also increasing

  significantly

  in

  Lower Saxony

  .

• Teachers 'and parents' associations are calling for stricter

  Corona *

  measures

  in schools too.

• The state governments are to present

  proposals to tighten the regulations in schools by the

  end of

  November

  .

Göttingen - By mid-November, over 55,000 people in Lower Saxony had been

infected

with

- and the trend is increasing, restaurants, theaters and fitness studios are closed.

But the children still have to go to school.

The

Light in

brings a large part of social and cultural life to a standstill.

In contrast, lessons at the school continue compared to the first lockdown in April.

But the signs point to an early tightening of the corona measures in schools.

The heads of state and the federal government were

still in agreement

when the

in November.

The schools and daycare centers should remain open as long as possible - the lessons should continue.

Legislators clearly focus on education.

They seem to be pulling this off around two weeks after the lockdown started.

Corona in Lower Saxony: No new resolutions for the rules at the school

As previously announced, on Monday, November 16, 2020, the heads of state and the federal government

discussed the

by

.

Plans for

should also be an issue.

One point is said to have been the expansion of the mask requirement at school.

If the rooms are too small, the classes should be divided.

So far, the division of classes and the requirement to wear a mask in the classroom is only required if the incidence value is over 100 in the respective region.

But after the conference disillusionment.

A decision for the rules in schools has flown out of the video conference program.

In the following week, the state governments are expected to present proposals for increased protection against infection in schools.

Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) should welcome this decision.

He pleaded in advance for more preparation time for new

.

"Today we should discuss the entire spectrum, including the proposals that the Federal Chancellery has apparently already put on paper, but I believe that resolutions should then be part of an overall concept in a week or ten days," he told the radio station NDR Info on November 13th.

School in Lower Saxony: Corona lockdown too lax?

There are plenty of ideas for drastic new corona measures *.

In the second half of November, at both federal and state level, the number of voices that consider the current

increasing

.

At the federal level, health expert Karl Lauterbach (SPD) pleaded for a continuation of school lessons: "But the way the schools are now run is not safe enough"

At the state level, the

Parents 'Council used

much clearer words: "So far, the lowest possible health protection has been applied in school, that is incomprehensible," said the chairwoman of the State Parents' Council, Cindy-Patricia Heine on November 13th.

Among other things, she called for plexiglass walls in school classes so that children no longer have to wear annoying masks in class.

In addition, the situation in local public transport is unacceptable.

The distance rule is not observed in buses and schools.

The parents' council sharply criticized the statement made by representatives from the federal and state governments that

drivers.

Lower Saxony's Minister of Culture,

, also expressed this assessment.

“That is just a thesis without any proof, but it is always presented as a reference and confirmation,” answers Cindy-Patricia Heine.

Lower Saxony in Corona lockdown: the federal and state governments are debating tightening schools

The teachers agree with the parents' criticism.

The teachers' union GEW

asked the minister of culture to release rooms of cultural institutions for school lessons.

The number of students in the school building should be reduced and instead taught in ballrooms, reported the NDR.

More staff is urgently needed.

Many teachers are absent because they belong to risk groups.

More and more schoolchildren in Lower Saxony are infected with corona

In Lower Saxony there are around 2,640 public schools with around 848,800 students (estimate by the state government of 2019), as well as 68,507 full-time teachers.

In mid-

,

14 schools

in

closed

due to a

.

Students from 330 schools were sent to home schooling, as the state government of Lower Saxony confirmed at the request of the HNA.

106 schools across Germany are closed due to a corona outbreak.

Lower Saxony in lockdown: The applicable corona rules in school

Criticism of the

sparked by the fact that the regulations of the health authorities are very different in the various federal states.

Anyone who has to

be quarantined

at a

after a corona outbreak

is sometimes even regulated differently between the districts.

Sometimes only the direct neighbors of a classmate have to be in quarantine.

In other circles, the whole class is quarantined in a corona case.

Nationwide there are uniform recommendations for schools on which the regulations of all federal states are based.

• Regular ventilation:

  The state government of Lower Saxony emphasizes this measure as a "crucial component in health and infection protection".

  The system “20-5-20”

  is recommended in

  Lower Saxony

  : approximately half of the lesson (after around 20 minutes) should be aired for 5 minutes.

  Windows are also opened between lessons and during breaks.

  To this end, the state government has distributed around 50,000 posters and a further 50,000 window hangers to

  schools

  .

• Mobile air filter systems:

  If classrooms have no windows or adequate ventilation, mobile air filters can help to remove aerosols from the air, according to the Federal Environment Agency.

  But in Lower Saxony there is no money for it.

  Even before the

  lockdown

  , a spokesman for the Ministry of Culture confirmed to the NDR: "Against this background, the state currently has no funds available for the purchase of air purification agents".

• FFP2 masks:

  While Bavaria is planning the nationwide procurement of FFP2 masks for its teachers, the Lower Saxony state government is holding back.

  FFP2 and FFP3 masks have a valve and are only intended to protect the wearer.

  The state government even asks citizens to refrain from wearing such masks.

  Because supplies are limited and they are urgently needed by medical staff in hospitals.

  Meanwhile, the teachers' union GEW Lower Saxony vehemently demands the procurement of FFP2 masks for teachers.

• Divided classes

  : According to the recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute, classes are also divided into risk areas in Lower Saxony.

  In this alternation model (called Scenario B), the classes with a seven-day incidence over 100 are split into several groups for face-to-face and home tuition for 14 days.

  Lothar Wieler, head of the Robert Koch Institute, insists on this measure.

  “We know that children can shed just as much virus from puberty as adults.” Minister of Culture Tonne does not rule out a general switch to school lessons in Lower Saxony in the future.

The state government of

has drawn up additional regulations on the basis of the recommendations of the federal government: If the 7-day

in a circle over 50, the state government recommends wearing mouth and nose protection in class.

Primary school pupils are excluded.

It is also possible for students whose relatives belong to a risk group to be exempted from classroom teaching.

Lower Saxony in Corona lockdown: No decision for the schools

A review of the measures in force is planned

after two weeks of

.

On November 16, 2020, the heads of state and the federal government discussed possible changes for the future in a video conference.

A possible resolution for stricter regulations in the

initially put on hold.

But the signs continue to point to tougher measures.

By the week of November 23-29, the federal states should submit proposals on how the risk of infection can be further reduced in school.

There is no shortage of suggestions.

Lower Saxony in corona lockdown.

Suggestions for the school

North Rhine-Westphalia has suggested, among other things, that the Christmas holidays be brought forward.

The face-to-face class should end two days earlier than usual on December 18th.

This is to give families enough time to isolate themselves for Christmas.

Baden-Württemberg is also playing with this idea.

Lower Saxony

and other state governments are rather skeptical of this proposal.

Because between the last day of school and Christmas Eve there are only five days even with early vacation.

The incubation period for

is 7 days.

In addition, parents would face a care problem in this case.

(Philipp Zettler)

List of rubric lists: © Matthias Balk / dpa