Kempten - A parents' initiative to protect kindergarten children in the corona pandemic: This is the title of the action group “Voice for Children in Kempten”.
"We want to bring constructive suggestions" in order to better protect the kindergarten children against Corona, says Stefanie Koller.
Together with Elisabeth Jung, she launched the “Voice for Children in Kempten” initiative.
Both have children of kindergarten age and find that this age group is "on the whole not very well protected".
Now they are turning to Kemptens Lord Mayor Thomas Kiechle and have set up a signature campaign. On Thursday, a good week after the start, there were around 120 signatures from parents who want to prevent Kempten facilities from closing or children from having to be quarantined. They consider regular contact with peers to be "absolutely" necessary - especially after the restrictions that the children had to put up with during the pandemic.
In addition to low-threshold vaccination offers and advice for parents and daycare staff, the initiative also proposes air filters for the premises.
Of course, "everything costs money, but right now the protection of children is important to us," says Stefanie Koller.
In addition, the parents want the children to play in separate groups again.
This has been ordered again by the state government since Tuesday.
“The group activities” had already been reduced in advance, “but we had regular operations until yesterday,” said Koller, “but the kindergarten is swimming” because of the many constant new regulations.
Children shouldn't "sit at home for weeks"
Instead of the currently usual two to three voluntary rapid tests per week in your own four walls, for which the parents redeem authorization certificates in the pharmacy, the initiative also calls for joint tests in the kindergarten groups. “We have the feeling that the certificate is preventing parents from taking the tests,” explains Koller. She cites the example of a kindergarten in Isny, where so-called quick cheek tests are common. "If the whole group tests themselves, outbreaks can be better prevented," says the mother of two boys with certainty. The state offers pool tests, but they are not implemented.
The advisor for youth, school and social affairs, Thomas Baier-Regnery, welcomes the request of the district messenger that parents contribute with suggestions and considerations.
"We also hope there will be no closings," he says.
Everything should be done for it.
"Nevertheless, the KiTa children are not completely unprotected."
"We are listening"
The facilities adhere to the “general hygiene plan” for child day care, for which the staff has also been trained.
It is recommended, for example, that fixed groups are formed.
"Depending on the incidence, there were corresponding regulations", explains Baier-Regnery, "this was reduced somewhat over the summer, but has been strengthened again since the beginning of the year".
He admits that some providers might have a staffing problem and that this could result in a possible greater mix of children.
The hygiene plan also stipulates that external visitors are required to wear a mask and test and that the staff document in detail who plays in which group, who shows symptoms during the day and which visitors were present. The staff are now reducing their contacts with one another. Unvaccinated / not convalescent test themselves three times a week.
As Baier-Regnery emphasizes, right at the beginning of the vaccination campaigns, the city encouraged parents and daycare staff to be immunized.
Together with a "technical-factual" explanation.
Those who do not get vaccinated “often have personal reasons that are not always factual and rational”.
Here he sees his options limited.
“We don't want the staff to get sick either,” said the speaker.
The shortage of staff alone does not allow this at all.
As he has heard, the majority of those who have been vaccinated want to be boosted.
Baier-Regnery has made the experience that parents generally have a high level of acceptance for the tests at home.
“Those who don't want to test leave their children at home,” says Baier-Regnery.
Capacity problem
He confirms that pool tests are now possible in the day-care centers as well as in schools.
However, the state leaves their organization completely to the municipalities.
In contrast, the Free State of Germany is the service provider for the tests in schools, and the city only supports the implementation.
“With 39 facilities and 3,000 crèche and kindergarten children, we can't do that,” the speaker regrets.
He also sees a personal problem for pool tests in day care centers.
He is also skeptical when it comes to the question of whether the laboratories have enough capacity for evaluations.
As for the air filters, the priority here is compulsory schooling.
In addition, the rooms in the KiTas are “mostly larger”.
The question was, what can be handled in such a short time?
The waiting times for air filters are now very long.
In summary, the speaker says: "If the capacities are not available, we can not do more." Nevertheless, the daycare children are not unprotected.
In any case, the city wants to meet with the parents' initiative and enter into dialogue.
Interested parties who want to sign up for the initiative send an e-mail with their name, address and e-mail address to
Voice-Kinder-Kempten@gmx.de