Voluntary Corona tests at schools after the holidays

The education administration continues to rely on voluntary Corona tests at Berlin schools after the summer holidays.

The current practice will be continued for the time being in the new school year starting on 22 August, according to a statement on Monday. The decision was taken after consultations in the hygiene advisory board and in agreement with other bodies.

Self-test at home before the start of school after the holidays

Accordingly, pupils will then continue to have the opportunity to be tested twice at school and once at home on the weekend. As an additional safety measure, they are asked to perform a self-test at home on the Saturday and Sunday evening before school starts (20/21 August). This is to detect a possible infection at an early stage before going to school on Monday. The students will be given two self-tests from the school's inventory.

Voluntary tests during summer school as well

Pupils who take part in summer school courses or other offers, for example in after-school care, during the summer holidays beginning on 7 July, can also reportedly be tested voluntarily twice a week during this time. "We will continue to offer voluntary testing at the schools and thus ensure more safety," explained Senator for Education Astrid-Sabine Busse (SPD). "At the same time, we will constantly reassess the situation in exchange with the Hygiene Advisory Board and the Senate Administration for Science, Health, Care and Equality. Sufficient rapid tests are available at the schools."

Concern about a Covid wave in the summer

Reason for the action is the fear that more people will become infected again during a Corona summer wave, for example on holiday. In addition, experts assume that the Corona numbers will increase in autumn. For protection and hygiene measures at schools that go beyond compulsory testing, such as compulsory masking, the Infection Protection Act would have to be amended at the federal level, according to the education administration. Compulsory testing at Berlin schools had been suspended with effect from 7 June in favour of the voluntary solution.