Berlin daycare centers start with limited regular operation

The daycare centers in Berlin remain open - but from Monday (Jan. 24, 2022) onwards, they will be subject to limited regular operation. Care in fixed groups will be mandatory.

Care in fixed groups

Supervision in fixed groups will then be obligatory. This is intended to reduce contacts and thus also the risk of infection. The background to this is the considerable increase in the number of Corona infections in the capital. According to the family administration, the scope of care and the opening hours in the day-care centres can be reduced if compliance with the new rules cannot be organised otherwise.

Additional services are dropped

In addition, parents are only allowed to enter the daycare centers in exceptional cases - fixed times for dropping off and picking up children will be arranged. Additional services offered by the daycare centers will be eliminated for the time being. Parents' evenings at the daycare center will only be held in case of urgent issues that cannot be postponed. The Berlin Senate passed the decision on the limited regular operation of daycare centers at its meeting on Tuesday.

Restricted regular operation to ensure day care

Berlin's Senator for Families, Astrid-Sabine Busse (SPD), justified the decision with the strongly increasing Coronavirus incidence caused by the Omicron variant. Busse pointed out that numerous daycare centers have already had to close completely or partially. The limited regular operation is intended to help maintain care in the daycare centers.

Mandatory testing at daycare centers by January 31 at the latest

At the same time, Coronavirus testing using so-called lollipop tests is to become standard practice in daycare centers. Lollipop tests are considered more child-friendly and easier to handle than rapid tests with nasal swabs. Officially, testing will be mandatory in daycare centers for children over the age of one from Monday (Jan. 24) onwards. However, because there have been delays in the supply of lollipop tests, the Senate has granted a transition period until January 31. In the future, there will be three mandatory Coronavirus tests per week - one on Mondays and two on other days determined by the daycare center. The plan is for parents to test their children at home before they go to the daycare center and to confirm in writing that the test was negative.