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The start of school brings with it strict hygiene requirements. Experts advise keeping children home even with mild infections.
The new school year begins on Monday for more than 400,000 children and young people in Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland. Education Minister Heinz Faßmann promises “normal operation”, but the start of school does not feel “normal” for many this year. The corona pandemic poses challenges for children as well as for educators and parents.
Regulation of traffic lights in schools
Four-color crown traffic lights are being introduced in schools, kindergartens and nurseries (see information box). Additionally, many facilities are required to have their own Corona officer who coordinates actions according to this checklist.
Reinhold Kerbl, head of the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at LKH Leoben, asks children and parents to react to minor illnesses. In plain language: if the child has a cold, cough or fever, she should not go to school or kindergarten. “A flu-like infection is difficult to distinguish from Covid-19,” said the specialist.
Infections are not child’s play
The expert does not believe that parents need care because children often get colds in winter. “If children with infections are constantly at home, they will generally get sick much less often during ‘flu season.’ Ideally, this will be just once or twice a season, maybe not at all. Everyone sticks On appeal, there are also far fewer infections here than usual and we winter well, “says Kerbl.
“It is better to leave sick children at home than everyone!” – Specialist Kerbl
However, the runny nose and cold should not be a reason to deny children access to a facility, “the former ÖVP federal minister for women and current Minister of Education and Health appeals to parents and facilities. Styria, Juliane Bogner-Strauss.
