Status: 05/22/2021 9:29 a.m.
Kita children in Hamburg can now be tested for the corona virus twice a week free of charge. The self-test kits would be made available in sufficient quantities, said the social authority.
With the return to limited regular operation last Monday, initially only one test per week was planned. The tests with a short cotton swab for the front nasal area are voluntary and can be carried out by parents at home with the children before they go to daycare.
The response to the test program was basically positive, said the spokesman for the social welfare authority, Martin Helfrich, of the dpa news agency. “The offer has been accepted to varying degrees – in some cases parents themselves choose a high test frequency, in some cases there is also no interest or even in individual cases a refusal to carry out tests on children.” The amount delivered to the daycare centers makes it possible to receive two tests per child per week if interested.
Limited regular operation in daycare centers
The daycare centers switched from extended emergency to restricted regular operation on Monday. This ensures that every child is looked after for 20 hours a week. According to the social authorities, the occupancy rate was very low at the beginning of the week and then around 75 percent. “That is in line with our expectations: all children can come back to the day-care center, but due to the time and practical restrictions, the day-care center is still not at full capacity,” explained Helfrich.
When normal operations can be fully resumed, “is to be assessed in the context of the discussions about the next opening step,” said Helfrich. If the infection trend continues, the aim is to “return to normality in the daycare centers as early as possible”.
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