Corona pandemic: According to the study, daycare closures were unnecessary

Children have suffered particularly from the corona pandemic. At times, schools and daycare centers were closed and the children felt isolated. A study has now come to the conclusion that daycare closures were unnecessary.

The number of corona infections is currently falling. Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach sees this as just a respite: “The upcoming Corona winter will also be a challenge for families and children again. Unfortunately, it’s not like the pandemic is over.”

“Day care centers were not sources of infection”

But there is at least one thing the parents do not have to fear – that crèches and kindergartens will have to close again across the board. Because the “Corona Daycare Study” clearly showed that, says the SPD Minister: “Daycare centers were not sources of infection. So one has to say – based on today’s knowledge – one clearly comes to the conclusion that the daycare center closures beginning of the pandemic would not have been necessary.”

Instead, they were a great burden for children and their parents – this is the conclusion of the study. The Robert Koch Institute and the German Youth Institute worked on it for two years. More than 5000 day care centers reported the corona infections every week. There were surveys of the day-care center managers, the children and parents, and also on-site investigations.

From the results, Health Minister Lauterbach deduces what can help this winter: “Reducing contact makes sense, forming small groups, masks for adults, and ventilation – everything is important.”

Children from socially disadvantaged families

The task of dealing with the consequences of the pandemic for children and young people is even greater. Half of the day-care center managers believe it is necessary to give the children more support. Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus explains that everyone who is already having a hard time is hit particularly hard: “Daycare centers with a high proportion of children from socially disadvantaged families now have almost twice as much need for language, motor skills and social and emotional development as before the pandemic.”

depression, anxiety and eating disorders

In addition, the psychological well-being of half of the children and adolescents has deteriorated. In the case of socially disadvantaged children and young people, the figure is even two-thirds, says Green Party politician Paus. “The three most frequently mentioned mental illnesses in children and adolescents in connection with Corona are depression, anxiety and eating disorders.”

Politicians have to take countermeasures. The federal government wants to strengthen the “number against grief” and promote more projects for exercise, culture and health. The number of therapy places is also to be increased. One must prevent, says the family minister, that part of an entire generation is left behind.