- Title: Berlin schools bank on COVID-19 tests as classes resume after summer break
- Date: 9th August 2021
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (AUGUST 9, 2021) (REUTERS) YOUNG BOY PUTTING COTTON SWAB INTO HIS NOSE IN SCHOOLYARD AS PART OF CORONAVIRUS TEST VARIOUS OF CHILDREN TESTING THEMSELVES IN SCHOOLYARD VARIOUS OF TEACHERS ASSISTING CHILDREN WITH TEST CHILDREN TESTING THEMSELVES VARIOUS OF CHILDREN WHO TESTED NEGATIVE PLAYING SOCCER WHILE OTHERS STILL CARRY OUT TEST (SOUNDBITE) (German) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER, SUSANNE RAETZ, SAYING: "We are testing all children outside to prevent a quarantine in case there are positive cases. Last week we already received several notifications of children who returned from vacation and tested positive. So this is our precautionary measure, to spread all children across the schoolyard and to test them outside until we have certainty that everyone tested negative." TEACHER ASSISTING CHILDREN WITH TEST (SOUNDBITE) (German) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER, SUSANNE RAETZ, SAYING: "We are testing three times a week for the next three weeks and the city government will then decide on further steps. Official guidelines say face masks must not be worn in classrooms after that date but until then, they are a requirement. A decision on face masks will be based on incidence figures." VARIOUS OF CLASSROOM WHERE FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD GRADERS ARE TAUGHT TOGETHER IN SAME CLASSROOM
- Embargoed: 23rd August 2021 14:41
- Keywords: Berlin school COVID-19 children classes resume coronavirus summer break test
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Europe
- Reuters ID: LVA001EPK5EFB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Students at Berlin's schools returned to class on Monday (August 9) after a six-week summer break - but not without a negative coronavirus test result.
Gustav-Falk Elementary School in the German capital's working class Wedding district tested all its pupils outside the building "as a precautionary measure," according to teacher Susanne Raetz "to prevent a quarantine in case there are positive cases."
Raetz said the school had already received notification last week of several children who tested positive after they had returned from their summer holidays.
Tests will be carried out three times a week for the next three weeks, Raetz said.
"The city government will then decide on further steps. Official guidelines say face masks must not be worn in classrooms after that date but until then, they are a requirement."
The decision on whether face masks must be worn during class after that date will be based on incidence figures, according to Raetz.
For now, all of Raetz' pupils in first through third grade who are all taught together must wear a face mask.
Germany's coronavirus infection rate keeps rising again and was at 23.1 per 100,000 people on Monday, according to the Robert-Koch-Institute for infectious diseases.
Around one month ago, Germany's nationwide infection rate was below 10.
(Production: Holger Koerner, Michele Sani) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
