Differences in school openings: countries want to extend lockdown

Differences in school openings
Countries want to extend lockdown

On Tuesday, the states and the federal government will discuss the continuation of the lockdown. According to a report, this will be extended beyond January 10th. However, it is unclear how long it should last – and what will happen to schools and daycare centers.

According to a media report, the federal states agreed with the Federal Chancellor to extend the current lockdown beyond January 10 in preparation for the upcoming conference of prime ministers. The heads of the state chancellery did not agree on whether this should initially be decided for two or three weeks, reports the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung", citing participants.

Opinions also differed on the subject of schools and kindergartens. According to the report, they want to keep the severely affected countries closed. The less severely affected countries are therefore considering reopening kindergartens and schools up to the seventh grade from January 11th. In higher classes there should then be alternating or distance lessons.

Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn also spoke out in favor of maintaining the nationwide lockdown beyond January 10th. "In view of the still too high numbers, it is necessary to extend the measures, the restrictions," said the CDU politician at "RTL Aktuell". There is currently a maximum number of corona patients in the intensive care units. One must now "absolutely" reduce the number of infections and keep them low for a longer period of time. "That is better than loosening up too early and then possibly facing difficult questions again in a few weeks."

Spahn also believes that schools and daycare centers should be closed again. That is difficult for students and parents. "But here, too, the following applies: it is easier for everyone to have schools for a week longer than to open them and then have to face debates again at some point in a few weeks." It is easier to get an extension from the vacation than at a later point in time.

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