AUSTRIA. Vienna: The Vienna University of Economics and Business (German: Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien, WU) is introducing a sticker that is foaming the freedom of students: fast lane for the vaccinated students, and entry control for the unvaccinated.
General situation of Austria
As Vienna authorities tightened Covid-19 measures, Austria’s Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announced last Friday evening that restrictions could be imposed on those still unvaccinated. Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein also supported restrictions as the Austria’s Government expanded the risk levels from 1-3 to 1-5.
The country being right now at level 1, extra risk levels will mostly affect events, institutions, leisure facilities. At level 4, a 2G proof (vaccination or recovery only, not a negative test) will be required, and at level 5 — a full lockdown for unvaccinated is to be practiced. A 2.5G proof means that only the vaccinated, the ones who recovered of covid or have been PCR-tested are allowed in. No details are provided on how controls will take place yet.
What’s new in WU
According to Heute’s coverage, the Vienna University of Economics and Business in Vienna-Leopoldstadt (WU) has enforced a 2.5G requirement since last Monday. Estimating that 80% of students have been vaccinated, WU offers a new entry system and also the possibility for students to get vaccinated on campus.
Checks are carried out at the Teaching Center, and after the old systems with distinguishable bracelets, a new entry system has been established with “Fast Lane Stickers” for the vaccinated students. Unvaccinated students still have to queue to enter.
Oficial WU information on the Corona virus
As per WU’s records, since 21 October access to the buildings is only authorized with 2.5G proof, or else a PCR/molecular test taken no longer than 48 hours ago, proof of being vaccinated, or having recovered from a COVID-19 infection. FFP2 masks are required for all.
In cooperation with the City of Vienna, WU offers “a publicly accessible vaccination station directly on Campus WU” without prior appointment. Vaccines for people 18 and older are either the Johnson & Johnson or BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine; for those between 12 and 18 years of age, BioNTech/Pfizer is available.
Reaction of the RFS to WU’s new measures
The Ring of Freedom Students (RFS, German: Ring Freiheitlicher Studenten) sees the new measures as a “public branding of the unvaccinated.”
RFS Federal Chairman Matthias Kornek says that “The corona-related two-class society is being expanded at universities… What a few months ago were wild conspiracy theories is becoming more and more a reality.“
RFS WU chairman Manuel Litzke is also shocked, and adds: “The fact that unvaccinated students are separated at the entrance to the university and checked in front of everyone is in a certain way degrading. Since 80 percent of the students are already vaccinated, exceptions are of course immediately negative in the eye. The WU is not ensuring normalization, but encouraging social division.“
What’s next
Stickers have historically been used to shape the minds of students and as such represent a hidden trajectory that somehow forms a “conflict cluster” between vaccinated and unvaccinated students. The seeds of segregation enforce clauses against freedom as among the unvaccinated there will be some students with health problems which will prevent them from being vaccinated at all.
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