With the presented security concept, measures should be able to be flexibly and specifically tailored to the respective situation in the regions.
The new school year begins to a large extent as the last one ended: In a two-week safety phase, all students have to test three times and wear a mask away from class. What happens afterwards depends on the general risk situation. For this purpose, a wastewater analysis is used to determine how the coronavirus is spread in the regions. If the risk is increased, schools should introduce compulsory tests and masks, according to Education Minister Heinz Faßmann (ÖVP) on Wednesday.
Large-scale school closings and shift work are no longer an option
Large-scale school closings and shift work are no longer an option for the minister in the new school year, which starts at the beginning of September, he emphasized at the press conference. Such measures are to be prevented through a new early warning system with wastewater analyzes, through which the virus can be detected a week before the statistical recording of the infections, and through the use of regular PCR tests. In addition, there should be another gurgling study, for which 300 “Sentinel” (guardian) schools were selected. However, the results should be available much faster than before. If this shows an increasing risk, individual tests are carried out with all students.
In general, the more meaningful PCR method should be used for the tests than before; of the three tests per week, at least one must be a PCR test at least during the security phase – we cooperate with Swiss Post for this. It is not gargled, but rinsed to avoid aerosol formation.
An antigen and a PCR test are to be carried out on Monday, and an antigen test on Thursday. There should also be a ninja pass, in which the students can prove their tests. In addition, the use of air filters in classrooms, where ventilation is not possible or not possible with difficulty, should ensure more safety.
Vaccination buses are also planned as an offer
In order to increase the vaccination rate among the schoolchildren, vaccination buses should also drive to schools. In some federal states, around 30 vaccination buses are already in use during the summer school in the last two weeks of August to offer pupils aged 12 and over a vaccination.
If further regional tests are necessary after the two weeks, vaccinated pupils should be exempt from the obligation to test, as was the case in the previous school year. In the Ninjapass you have already adjusted to this possibility – it provides for entries until the autumn vacation.
