Glimpse at how Britain’s schools could look after lockdown as Germany reveals ‘social distance’ classrooms – The Sun

KIDS are returning to lessons in Germany as coronavirus lockdown rules have been wound back to allow for the reopening of schools, zoos, museums and even hair salons.

However Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned of a new outbreak risk should people drop their guard and forgot about social distancing.

Tenth graders began returning to school last week and elementary school pupils are returning this week.

These are the country's first cautious steps to reopen schools that have been closed since March, as authorities lift lockdown measures that had been imposed to stem the spread of the killer bug.

Only students who are close to completing their primary or secondary school this year have been allowed to return to classes today, reports Deutsche Welle.

Other pupils are expected to follow in the days ahead.

However, kindergartens remain closed at this stage.

German states are also set to gradually reopen their playgrounds this week, which have been closed and taped off in order to stem the infection, adds DW.

Photos of pupils in classrooms shows youngsters adhering to marked distances on stairwells, and sitting desks apart from fellow children.

Social distancing measures – wearing face masks while shopping and on public transport and staying at least 1.5 metres from other people – will remain until at least May 10.

Germany has withstood the pandemic much better than the US, Britain and Italy, partly thanks to widespread virus testing, an excellent healthcare system and strict lockdown measures introduced in mid-March.

The country’s 16 federal states are also working on a plan to reopen bars and restaurants and allow some sport to take place.

 Merkel said: “If the infection curve becomes steep again, we need to have a warning system to notice it early and be able to act.

"We must work to make sure we bring the number of new infections down further."

She added that larger events such as concerts and major sporting events would not be able to take place before August 31.

The prospect of a return to normality is made possible by a fall in the number of infections to just under 1,500 a day, compared to more than 6,000 at its peak in early April.

While Germany has the sixth-highest number of confirmed infections, at over 162,000, on a par with France and Britain, it has recorded around a quarter of their deaths, at just over 6,500.

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