Lebenswelten Kitas und Schulen – Herausforderungen für die Gesundheitsämter in der Pandemie

Horacek, Ulrike; Auer, Isabel; Thaiss, Heidrun

Local public health services in Germany usually include a local organizational unit that is in charge of the healthcare of children, youths, and families (KJGD). Major tasks are defined in the federal laws for the public health service emphasizing different types of activities in daycare units, schools, and community living environments. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the activities of the KJGD have clearly changed. This article will provide a review of these tasks during the pandemic on the basis of interviews with KJGD administrations in 11 communities of the federal state North Rhine-Westphalia in October 2020. Typically, the KJGD is deeply involved in infection prevention in daycare facilities and schools by providing contact tracing, swab collection, guidance, crisis committee participation, quarantine survey, and data capture. The classic tasks had to be entirely discontinued in some areas, or at least strongly limited. The affected areas include occupational medicine, medical reports, school entry examinations for children, assessment of special education needs, health reporting, cooperation with child protection and early intervention, outbreak management for other infectious diseases, and the closing of immunization gaps. The consequences of discontinuing the original tasks, e.g., missing school entry examinations, cannot be predicted; resumption of these activities is essential. On behalf of municipal services of general interest in the sense of public health (in all policies), the KJGD makes a remarkable contribution to ensuring that children and youths not only stay physically healthy and far from infections but are also promoted in their individual development and participation.