In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and Hamburg has started the school again, next week, also in North Rhine-Westphalia draws. After the children of Germany will return to the schools – sometimes after months-long closures.

What effect that will have on the infection done in Germany, in addition to experts are not yet agreed. Because the crucial question, what is the role of children and young people play in the spread of the epidemic in the population, is not yet clarified.

"in the Meantime that, in particular, younger children are infected under ten years of age less often than adults," explains Hans-Georg Kräusslich, a virologist at the University hospital in Heidelberg. This, however, needs to be taken into account that most of the studies to date are origin of at least partial contact restrictions. "It is clear, however, that children will be infected and the Virus can continue to give."

The upcoming nationwide school openings could accordingly lead to a recurrence of infection increase in the country. "After the Opening of schools in several countries – for example, in Israel – foci of infection in schools occurred, in this respect, it must also be expected in the case of us and very carefully care," warns virologist Kräusslich.

prevention concept for students, parents and teachers

"It seems to be especially at risk for school outbreaks, if the total Infections in the population increases – just as it is the case in Germany," adds Isabella Eckerle, a specialist for infectious diseases at the University of Geneva. "It is therefore all the more important that broad-based measures to keep the incidence of Infection is low, here we are asked all."

Eckerle stresses the importance of a thoughtful approach, particularly figures in the case of the current increasing Infection: " We all agree that schools should remain for the good of the children as openly as possible , that is why we must now develop a prevention concept, the students, parents and teachers security."

But how could it look? According to Eckerle while there are already good rules for hand hygiene, as well concepts should be created for adequate air exchange in classrooms. "If we go back now to the normal school life and a desire to cling to think that children do not play any role in the pandemic, then we are not going to fall on the feet," warns the expert on infectious diseases.

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Quick, pragmatic measures

Instead of ideologically-charged debates, there is a need now quick pragmatic measures to get us through the Winter. "In any case, smaller classes, fixed groups, efficient structures for rapid testing of symptomatic children, and Teach, as well as a strategy how to deal with infectious cases at school ," suggests Eckerle.

From a virological point of view, and also hygiene measures and the mask of duty at least when Leaving the classroom is very important. "The key for the rapid identification and containment of infection will be herd," stresses virologist Kräusslich. The extent to which additional measures would be necessary, you will be able to only be evaluated in the further course sure.

British model: school openings will require "large-scale, population-wide test,"

according to British researchers, could hygiene concepts and a restructured school operation, however, are not sufficient to prevent a new infection increase. Scientists at the University College London calculated using a modeling in the journal "The Lancet", that only "large-scale, population-wide test," could prevent a second wave, if it came through the re-openings of the schools, there is less physical distance in the population.

International experts warn against the possibility to transfer the results of this research directly to the reality. "In this model, different scenarios are considered. Namely, a, are in the children's as infectious as adults, and one in which you are only half as infectious. We don't know which of the two reflects the reality better,“ says Mirjam Kretzschmar, scientific Director for mathematical disease modeling at the Dutch health authority, RIVM.

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classroom to be at low risk of infection

This view is also Richard Neher. The head of the research group "Evolution of viruses and bacteria" at the University of Basel: "models of this kind make many simplifying assumptions and, in particular, the role of children in the Transmission of Sars-CoV-2 is not understood conclusively. Therefore, one must interpret the new results with caution.“

the more Informative it is, according to him, to examine the experiences of different countries after the school openings. A second wave of Infection with the schools would be brought about in Israel in connection – in other countries, for example, in Denmark, had been added to the classroom, however, again, without major outbreaks.

"If the Virus is spread under control and case numbers remain low, then the presence classes can be held at low infection risks," says Neher. "In order to enable this, we need to accept certain limitations and, in particular, events that may lead to 'super-spreading', best to avoid."

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Date Of Update: 07 August 2020, 08:26