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The return of children to school after the holidays evokes great emotions not only in Poland. It’s a hot topic all over Europe (and beyond). Considering the preparations for the beginning of the school year, The New York Times compares our continent to a “living laboratory”. The school experiment has already started in Germany – some students returned to science on August 3. How are already open schools in Germany doing? Is there an increase in infections? How are teachers and experts commenting on the situation?
- The first to return to school were the students of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the north-eastern part of Germany. In the first half of August, the students of, among others, in Berlin, Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein
- Two institutions in Mecklenburg-Pomerania were closed after a few days of study. In North Rhine-Westphalia, a high school had to be closed after a teacher tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. In Berlin, 49 infections were reported among teachers and students, and around 600 students had to be quarantined
- «So far, these are isolated cases, not epidemics. It calms me down »says Valerie Kirchberger, pediatrician
Opening schools in Germany – what solutions were adopted
In Germany, education matters, including the determination of school days, fall under the responsibility of the Länder. Therefore, there is no single start date for the school year in this country. Nevertheless, all 16 Länder agreed that the children should return to school at the end of the summer holidays. Taking into account the observed daily increases in infections, the decision caused considerable concern.
Source: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/germany/
In some Länder, both pupils and teachers will have to wear masks, in some cases also in corridors and other “common areas”. There are also Länder that have not decided to wear masks. “If students had to wear masks for several hours a day, argues in Germany, their learning ability would suffer,” writes the NYT.
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Coverage. Current data
Schools also focused on better ventilation of classrooms and separation of classes so that each student had contact with a limited number of people and it was easier to stop possible outbreaks of epidemics (each group has its own area in the school, cloakroom, dining area).
Hygiene measures such as frequent hand washing and refraining from touching the handrails while climbing stairs are recommended. In some Länder, teachers are given free tests.
- How was the return of children to school in other countries like? Has caused an increase in infections?
“There have been no major epidemics or permanent school closings”
The first to return to school were the students of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the north-eastern part of Germany. Holidays ended there on August 3. In the first half of August, the students of, among others, in Berlin, Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein. What were the effects?
In Mecklenburg-Pomerania, two institutions were closed after a few days of study: in the Baltic Sea Graal-Mueritz and in Ludwigslust. In North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), the high school had to close in the first week of activity after the teacher tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The BBC also mentioned an elementary school that, due to a positive test result in one of its students, was to be closed for two weeks.
In an article from August 26, the NYT reported that 49 infections were reported among teachers and students throughout Berlin, and about 600 students had to be quarantined. About 39 schools (out of 803) were closed. In most cases, however, there was only one student or teacher with the infection in schools, and in all cases the infection is believed to have originated outside the school.
“So far, these are isolated cases, not epidemics,” Valerie Kirchberger, a pediatrician and research strategy coordinator in Berlin led by Charité University Hospital told the local newspaper. – It calms me down – he adds.
In the few weeks after returning to school, some teachers, and even virologists who were skeptical about reopening schools, said the early results look promising, says the NYT. “Despite single infections spreading in dozens of schools, there have been no major epidemics or permanent closures,” the daily explains.
“The system is imperfect and I would prefer to take more precautions, but the main conclusion so far is: it works,” says NYT-quoted Sandra Ciesek, virologist at Frankfurt University Hospital.
However, many teachers are still fearful and anxious. Only two weeks after starting school in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), school principals sent a condemning open letter to the regional authorities. The case was described by thelocal.de.
In their opinion, in some schools it is impossible to implement measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, and the authorities do not take into account the conditions that prevail in some schools.
At the beginning of the new school year, state authorities imposed strict measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. High school students must wear a mask not only during breaks, but also during lessons. Teachers are required to ventilate classrooms regularly, and a minimum distance of 1,5 meters applies throughout the school building. Meanwhile, in many buildings, the application of certain principles turns out to be unrealistic. Some directors, for example, pointed to welded windows, which prevented ventilation, others emphasized the lack of cleaning staff or caretakers.
In response, the authorities stated that the guidelines were “broad” enough to be able to “adequately respond to developments” in the situation.
“Many colleagues do not want to take part in this experiment”
Some teachers are concerned that the situation with Israel may repeat in Germany.
When it was decided to open schools in this country, precautionary measures were introduced – the obligation to wear masks, to maintain social distance. At the turn of June and July, the number of infections began to increase rapidly. Cases of COVID-19 have started to appear among students and teachers as well. Several hundred Israeli schools have been closed again.
– The situation in Israel scares me – said Doreen Siebernik, chairwoman of the Berlin branch of GEW, the largest teachers’ union in Germany, in the “NYT”. – We undertake this huge experiment in schools. But many colleagues do not want to take part in it.
Are you a parent, a teacher? Share your opinion on the return of children to school by writing to [email protected]
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