Child Protection Association: “Children will again be the losers of the pandemic”

Child protection association warns of Corona autumn
“Children become pandemic losers again”

© Serhii Yevdokymov / Shutterstock

The child protection association is watching the corona situation in Germany with concern – despite falling numbers. Because if there is a renewed wave of infections, children could again become the “losers of the pandemic”.

The corona numbers in Germany continue to decline. The seven-day incidence is 8.0 today, Tuesday, and school holidays are just around the corner in most federal states. That all sounds like a good starting point for a relaxed summer. But with regard to the situation of the children, child protection activists have now sounded the alarm.

Kinderschutzbund criticizes the handling of children in crisis

Because the youngest in our society could be the people who have to pay for the light-heartedness that is currently emerging – if another corona wave should roll across the country in autumn. This was raised by the President of the Child Protection Association, Heinz Hilgers, in an interview with the editorial network Germany.

While easing dominates the media, the delta variant of the corona virus is currently spreading across the world. So far, scientists have been optimistic that the vaccinations should also work against this variant – but not all of them are vaccinated yet. Especially not children. “There are celebrations with 1000 people, the football stadiums are always full. My advice would therefore be not to overdo it with the freedoms in order not to slip into a new crisis in the fall,” Hilgers told RND.

Schools now have to be prepared for Corona autumn

Society was faced with a similar problem last year: After the corona pandemic had calmed down somewhat in the summer, it struck back with full force in the fall. Except that schools weren’t prepared for it. Now the scenario should repeat itself: The child protection association criticizes that politically enough would not be done again in this phase of the pandemic. For example, the time could be used to improve the digital equipment or ventilation in good time.

The chairman of the Education and Science Union, Maike Finnern, made a similar statement to the RND, who also advocated a crisis-proof organization of schools. In order to prevent the spread of the delta variant in autumn, action must be taken now – because then hygiene, test and mask concepts would again be required.

“I’m afraid the children will again be the losers of the pandemic,” was the final, sober judgment of child protection activist Hilgers. There is still no approved vaccine for children. So you still need protection – and mustn’t be forgotten in the future either.

sources used:Editorial network Germany, Tagesschau, Kinderschutzbund

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Brigitte