I don’t understand university politics and decision making. Maybe politics in general. But most certainly university politics. What’s the deal with their decision making?
Our university, like much of the rest of the country, had a so called covid 3G regulation in place, where the G’s are for (German translations of) tested, vaccinated, or recovered. Clearly, this wasn’t doing much. Covid cases are on the rise, and rather rapidly, I must say.
Politicians, and our university, have long been debating and postponing the necessary decisions for a long time. Too long if you ask me. But now, finally, they have come to an agreement. The 3G, will now be changed to 2G. Tested people will no longer be allowed, and now everyone needs to have proof of vaccination or recovery.
Because. Well? Because of what, really?
I really don’t understand it.
Of all G’s, the tested people were at least that, tested. In a situation where vaccinated people can still carry, and transmit the disease, but the negatively tested cannot, how is that supposed to change anything? Sure, it may push some people to get vaccinated (vaccination rates are already high among students here anyway). In my view, changing a 3 to 2 doesn’t change anything. In fact, it gives the illusion that it’s now completely safe to engage in more reckless behavior. It’s a garbage rule that will not contribute much to limiting the spread of the disease in the university population and staff. And have them bring it home to their families, and unvaccinated kids.
It’s quite clear that 3G did little to prevent the spread, and 2G won’t either. Perhaps a 2G plus testing would work. Or how about not putting dozens of people in a classroom together? The university expressed hope for an exemption from the 2G rule for certain classes. If you ask me, most classes are perfectly fine online, and most of the students I spoke to were quite positive about the online format – if used creatively and appropriately. This may just be a problem in my head, but I feel like universities are willfully jeopardizing their employees’ and students’ health, for reasons that I don’t understand. Germany’s current infection rate is almost three times that of last year around this time. Hospitalization rates are similar. Deaths are catching up, and it’s only a matter of time. Unless vaccines will be mandatory for everyone in the entire population, a ‘back to normal’ in the vaccinated population is just irresponsible, reckless, and leading to unnecessary disease, long covid, and deaths. And I don’t want any of those. Let’s see how many weeks we can push, before we get a real lockdown.
Maybe I’m missing an important point here. Please tell me all about it. I’d love to understand. I’m not naive enough to believe that university cares about mental health, of their students, staff or anyone, really. I’m more worried that this is only about money.
Robin Heinen 