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Erfurt (dpa / th) - Districts and independent cities are given more leeway when it comes to closing daycare centers and schools due to the Corona crisis.

Since Friday, the municipalities no longer have to close all schools and daycare centers as soon as the limit of 200 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants has been exceeded in seven days.

This emerges from a letter from the dpa, which the Ministry of Health sent to the district administrators and mayors on Thursday.

Previously, the Thuringian District Association had called for more flexibility for opening and closing schools.

However, regions that exceed this incidence of 200 and do not close facilities are expected to take alternative measures to contain the pandemic.

This could include, for example, that children have to wear a mouth and nose cover in class from the first grade onwards.

Physical education, singing and playing wind instruments could also be canceled and further measures possible.

The municipalities would have to decide for themselves how to proceed in such cases, but submit their concept to the responsible authorities for approval.

"Both the education and health ministries would look very critically if a district with a very high incidence decides not to close the facilities," said a spokesman for the education ministry.

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The measures could encompass the entire district or the entire city, but they could also only apply to individual communities, regions or institutions.

In addition, they could also only be limited to daycare centers, elementary schools or secondary schools.

Before closings, however, parents and facilities themselves must be given the opportunity to prepare for it.

Even with the change, however, the recommendation remains that the cities and districts should close with a seven-day incidence between 150 and 200 schools and daycare centers.

But that is not ordered.

The health authorities could also close facilities immediately in the event of infection in cooperation with the education authority.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210312-99-793748 / 2