Information on the test offer for day-care centres and schools after the summer holidays

After the state of Thuringia had discontinued testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the day care centers, the crisis team of the city of Jena continued to finance the tests independently for the time of the summer holidays. Thus, an important contribution to the protection against infection in the day-care centres could be made in a time with many returning travellers. The tests still available from this order (currently approx. 7000 units) can still be called up by the day-care centres, so that testing will still be possible in the first week after the holidays.

Temporary end of the test offers in day care centres for children

Further financing of rapid tests by the city of Jena cannot be guaranteed beyond that.

Mayor Dr. Thomas Nitzsche says: "We have tried several times to get the state of Thuringia to change the test strategy for daycare centers and schools. Unfortunately unsuccessfully. In the long run, we can't handle the enormous additional financial burdens on our own."

Until the beginning of the summer holidays, municipalities were able to refinance the costs incurred for the rapid tests with the state of Thuringia. With the sudden change in the test strategy of the country, according to which a test offer at Kitas should not be held at all any longer, municipalities must organize the financing since 01 August alone. Fhe costs for all kindergarten children in the city of Jena for two tests per week amount to almost a quarter of a million euros for a period of two months.

Dr. Thomas Nitzsche said: "We have stepped in during the past few weeks and ensured that for a limited time tests could still be carried out in the Jena Kitas. However, we can no longer continue this offer given the enormous financial expenses. The new strategy of the state unfortunately accepts an increased risk of infection in the Kitas, but we can't continue to absorb this on a municipal level."

Test organization at schools

At least at schools, there will be a safety buffer with mandatory testing during the first two weeks of school, according to information from the Ministry of Education. After that, a testing system based on warning levels will take effect. There will be no testing at the basic level. At warning level one (7-day incidence above 35 and higher hospital occupancy or intensive care bed occupancy), testing will be offered twice a week.