Package of measures: “Vienna is ready for the opening of schools” – Coronavirus Vienna

Tomorrow Wednesday, the federal government wants to announce its specific plans to lift the crown measures, including for schools. On this occasion, the new Vienna Councilor for Education, Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS), presented on Tuesday afternoon a package of measures for a “safe opening of schools”, also to point out: “I can report that in Vienna we are ready to open schools and meet high standards of safety can. “

In any case, Wiederkehr was optimistic today that the federal government will announce the opening of the compulsory schools tomorrow and that classes will start next week, as he said in a virtual press conference called at short notice from home. The department head is currently in quarantine because one of his closest employees had tested positive for the corona virus.

In any case, the city of Vienna has drawn up a package of measures to support the locations of schools and ensure teaching “under safe framework conditions”, as highlighted by the city council. The package includes four major areas, some with new measures that have been developed in recent days.

Vienna will provide protective gear to teachers and other school personnel, such as school aides or kitchen staff. “Vienna has enough masks available here,” Wiederkehr said. The quota is currently 1.2 million FFP2 masks, 400,000 more have been ordered. Additionally, schools will be equipped with speech protection and disinfectants.

In this context, Wiederkehr gives teachers the “urgent recommendation” to wear masks to protect themselves and others. You can imagine a mask requirement for school children over the age of ten, but the federal government is responsible for stipulating it.

With regard to the testing situation, several lines are being drawn in Vienna: “We decided in Vienna to have the teachers evaluate in the course of mass testing. It is voluntary, but a recommendation and a call from me to take advantage of it. “. says the department head. Additionally, test kits will be shipped to all schools in the coming days. This could be used to test suspected cases yourself or for prophylactic testing.

In addition, schools “in need” should also have more classrooms, the keyword “flying classrooms.” In addition to individual hotels, adult education centers would now also offer their facilities. The reservation of this additional classroom can be made through the reservation system of the Directorate of Education.

Furthermore, Wiederkehr issued the recommendation to start lessons later to avoid crowded public transport and crowds of people in front of school buildings. “It can be designed differently depending on the location of the school. For example, you can say that the different classes and grades in the school start every ten minutes.”

Going back, it was important to communicate the measures taken by the city of Vienna for the schools in time before they opened next week. “In a crisis, the most important thing is clear and timely communication.” For him it is unacceptable that in the past professors and managers had found out through the media “what has to be done in a few days”. Here, more waiting time is needed for schools to prepare for the new framework conditions. Finally, the teachers were praised, “who are now doing a great job and very often on the edge.”