Corona in Bavaria: Free State continues to loosen – compulsory testing in schools falls

Created: 04/05/2022Updated: 04/05/2022 14:01

By: Lucas Sauter-Orengo

A student does a rapid corona test before the first lesson at a school.

© Sebastian Gollnow/dpa/Illustration

Bavaria loosens further.

From May, schoolchildren in the Free State will no longer have to be tested.

This was announced by Health Minister Klaus Holetschek.

Munich – From May there will be hardly any corona defense measures in Bavaria.

The state government then drops the regular tests for school children.

But the fear of next autumn remains.

"We hardly have any measures left," said Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) on Tuesday after a cabinet meeting.

On April 3, almost all measures to combat the corona virus had fallen.

Corona in Bavaria: compulsory testing in schools falls

In this, the state government decided to drop the regular tests for children and young people in schools and kindergartens from May 1st.

"General tests in schools and day-care centers will be discontinued," the state government announced.

So far, children from the 1st to 6th grade and in special schools have been subjected to a PCR pool test twice a week, as well as a self-test on Monday morning.

All other students have been testing themselves in the classroom three times a week using a quick test.

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The innovation should start parallel to the nationwide change in the quarantine regulations.

Day care centers can continue PCR pool tests on a voluntary basis until the end of August.

The mask requirement in schools has already been largely lifted.

"It also makes no sense to continue testing if isolation regulations are lifted," said Holetschek.

From May 1st, isolation after a positive corona test should only take place on a voluntary basis according to a decision by the health ministers on Monday and last only five days instead of the usual ten days.

Corona in Bavaria: Holetschek announces that compulsory testing in schools will no longer be required

Independently of this, Holetschek announced a panel of experts for the next few days to discuss measures for the fall.

The Bavarian Minister of Health advocated not giving up the search for a compromise in the debate about general vaccination requirements in Germany - even if no agreement was reached in the Bundestag this week.

"I would really like to try to find a compromise again," said Holetschek.

With a view to next autumn, when the infection rate is expected to increase again, this is necessary.

He complained that the current debate was tantamount to a “failure of mandatory vaccination with an announcement”.

If no agreement can be reached, Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) must check whether the facility-related vaccination requirement for employees in the health and social sector can still be enforced, said Holetschek.

“Karl Lauterbach then has to answer this question,” he said.