Berlin introduces mandatory Coronavirus testing for daycare children

Mandatory Coronavirus testing for children is introduced in Berlin's daycare centers.

Three lollipop tests per week

The city's education administration announced Monday (Jan. 17, 2022) that the new regulation is expected to apply to all daycare children one year and older from Jan. 24, 2022. At that moment, the child-friendly lollipop tests are expected to be available in sufficient quantities. Reportedly, three tests per week are required. There is to be one mandatory test on Monday, the other two days are determined by the daycare center. Parents will receive the required lollipop tests from the daycare center. Testing is generally supposed to happen at home. However, the individual daycare centers can also ask for testing to be carried out under supervision at the facility.

General ban on access for untested children planned

Parents who test their children at home must confirm their child's negative test result in writing to the daycare center. Parents will receive sample letters for such confirmations from the daycare center. When the testing obligation comes into force, untested children will generally not be allowed in the daycare centers. Exceptions apply to children who have been vaccinated or have recovered from a Coronavirus infection, and to children who cannot be tested due to their individual requirements.

Daycare centers should stay open

"Our goal is to ensure that daycare centers can remain open despite the current high numbers of infections and the rapid spread of the Omicron variant," Berlin's Senator for Education, Astrid-Sabine Busse (SPD), explained. "We want to contain the spread of Covid-19 and enable all children, parents and employees to operate daycare centers in an orderly manner with a high level of safety."

Mandatory testing for employees still in place

The existing regulations for the testing of daycare center employees remain in place. According to these regulations, employers are obligated to offer all employees a Coronavirus test twice per week. Employees who are neither vaccinated or recovered must provide daily proof of a negative test result, as the 3G rule applies in the workplace.