Aha! The new normal

The summer in Berlin ended two weeks ago, when thermometers recorded a spectacular drop of 20°C. One day we were heading to lakes and outdoor pools for relief from the heat and the next we were rummaging through our wardrobes for cardigans and raincoats. Although the summer is technically not over yet, there is an autumnal feel in the air. The mornings have turned decidedly chilly, while the fallen leaves on the ground are getting more noticeable. As the coronavirus summer ends, the coronavirus autumn begins.

Aha!

Some of us were lucky enough to enjoy a proper summer break, perhaps even going abroad, while others opted for a staycation. For most of us, though, the holiday time is over and it’s back to old routines, well not quite. The new normal in Germany is represented by the AHA rules. In this case Aha is not an exclamation to express satisfaction or surprise - Aha! So that’s how you defeat coronavirus! - and it also doesn’t stand for alpha-hydroxy acid. Moreover, it doesn't refer to the Norwegian pop band that was popular in the eighties (Take on meee!). In the year 2020, AHA is an abbreviation of Abstand (distance), Hygiene (hygiene) and Alltagsmasken (daily masks). 

Going back to school

While children around the world are returning to school or are preparing to go back to school in the coming weeks, here in Berlin children have already completed their fourth week of school. The first week was dedicated to learning the AHA rules obviously. Apart from the compulsory masks, the social distancing (not in classrooms) and hygiene rules, school here is pretty much back to normal. We even managed to have an Elternabend or parents’ evening (a general meeting about the class) in the assembly hall, where we were all sitting 2m apart and wearing masks.

It's virus time

As life gradually returns to normal, albeit under the AHA rules, and recreational and cultural activities pick up, what can we expect? Viruses of course! However much we wash our hands and keep away from crowded places, viruses will reach us, especially if we spend time with children. As GPs and paediatricians are keen to point out, there are plenty of viruses out there, in addition to the infamous one. 

After three weeks of school, the first virus made its way into our home, in the form of a sore throat, runny nose and fever.  I spent last weekend wondering whether it was coronavirus and where to get tested. When I finally managed to get through to the paediatrician to ask for advice on the following Monday, it became clear that a Covid-19 test would not be required. Luckily, it wasn’t a serious infection and it cleared up after a few days. In the area where I live, it seems that the only way to get a free test without a long wait is to return from a Risikogebiet, i.e. a region at risk. When I started sneezing and feeling under the weather, my husband suggested booking a cheap return flight to Spain so that I could get tested. The alternative would be a private test in Berlin that costs €158,65. Sunshine and tapas here I come! 

On a serious note, check the guidelines for your country or region. If you live in Berlin and your child is ill, this PDF by the Berlin Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family explains what to do.

Life coming out of lockdown: week 10

While in some countries, children will not go back to school until September, in others the reopening of schools is a daily topic of debate. In Germany, schools have reopened, but there are differences depending on each Bundesland, or federal state. In Berlin secondary schools reopened on 27 April, while primary schools restarted on 4 May.  Schools in Berlin all have to follow a set of rules, namely hygiene and social distancing rules, but the actual planning and organisation is left to each school.

 

Last Wednesday my seven-year-old went back to school for the first time since 17 March, when schools in Berlin were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so eager to go to school, except for when he played in the football tournament a year ago. When I picked him up just before midday at the school gates, he and his classmates looked bewildered, but they were clearly happy to have spent the morning together. They hadn’t been to school and hadn’t seen each other for over two months. No wonder they seemed confused. The teacher looked pleased, while the other parents looked tired and relieved. As one mother pointed out: «Ab jetzt geht es bergauf», i.e. «Things are starting to look up». Clearly, the two months of lockdown have been a trying period for many children and their parents.

 

However, it was not school as usual. The first part of the morning was spent discussing the new rules, especially re-enforcing the message about keeping a distance. Class sizes have been halved, so the children only saw half of their friends. Normally they would all arrive at the same time, but now they have been allocated slots depending on their year so as to avoid overcrowding at the entrance. They all have to queue up patiently to enter the school building in an orderly and socially distant manner, or as my son said: «ordentlich und nach den Abstandsregeln», one at a time. There are lines on the floor indicating where to stand and wait.

 

Once inside the classroom, the children sit at separate desks and the desks are 1.5 m apart. One window is always open (it was only 12°C this morning! Since the lockdown was relaxed the weather has changed for the worse). There are rules for regular handwashing and for going to the toilet. At break time the children are divided into different groups so that they have enough space to move around. They are allowed to run and play in the playground. Playing football is permitted, but only if you keep a 1.5 m distance from others. Meanwhile, Bundesliga players don’t have to follow these rules. It does seem rather unfair.

 

School hours have been reduced and only core subjects are being taught; the school day is a lot shorter than usual. Lunch is normally in the school canteen, but now it’s eaten in the classrooms at a distance. Each child has to bring its own cutlery from home. When it’s time to leave, after an early lunch, parents wait at the school gates for their children to appear accompanied by their teachers. Parents are not allowed inside the school grounds.

 

The return to school has been a gradual and challenging process. The plan here is to get all children back in school by the end of next week. When primary schools restarted on 4 May, only Year 6 pupils attended school in the first week. The surprising and unexpected decision for Year 1 pupils to go back to school on 11 May was made at a political level. Schools were given only one day to prepare, causing chaos and confusion. As a result, one journalist suggested that parents, teachers and their pupils all needed starke Nerven, or strong nerves.  

 

I must admit that I was rather sceptical when I heard about the plan to reopen schools in Germany. Like many other parents, I was worried about the coronavirus and whether it was wise to send children back to school. I also doubted about the benefit of going to school for only a few hours a week. However, after Wednesday’s experience I now believe that even three hours of lessons a week in school is better than no school at all, both from a social and an educational point of view. When I asked the teacher how the morning went, she seemed very positive and said that the children had followed the rules. Sometimes they needed reminding not to get too close, but that was understandable.

 

Obviously going to school for one or two or three mornings a week is not a long-term solution. How can parents work when their children are in school for only a few hours per week and the rest of the time they are expected to learn at home? Still, it’s a step towards some sort of normality. We still don’t know the plan for June and the summer holidays are due to start in exactly one month’s time. A lot can happen in one month, as we know. As I read this morning, the R value (or reproduction number) has gone up again in Berlin. Watch this space.

*Image created by Sophie Cane. Submitted for United Nations Global Call Out To Creatives - help stop the spread of COVID-19.