Austria: 86% Of University Students Received COVID-19 Vaccines at the End of November

86 percent of the 395,000 students in Austria are already vaccinated against COVID-19, according to estimates of the vaccination status of pupils and university students obtained by Statistics Austria on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science, and Research.

The Director-General of Statistics Austria, Tobias Thomas, said that the vaccination of students against COVID-19 at the end of November is a significant increase compared to the percentage that was in September 2021, Erudera.com reports.

“At the end of November, 55% of pupils aged 12 and older across Austria were immunised against COVID-19. This is a significant increase of 12 percentage points compared to the percentage at the end of September 2021. The vaccination rate of university students rose to 86% at the end of November and is thus significantly higher compared to the overall population of the same age,” Thomas said.

Data by Statistics Austria indicate that the vaccination rate at public universities was 86 percent, whereas at medical universities, 92 percent of people were vaccinated against COVID-19.

Figures further reveal that the highest vaccination rates were noted among students at universities in Lower Austria (87 percent) and Vienna (87 percent). Whereas, in Tyrol and Styria, the vaccination rates among university students is 86 percent. Others stand as it follows:

• Burgenland (85 percent)
• Vorarlberg (85 percent)
• Upper Austria (83 percent)
• Salzburg (81 percent)
• Carinthia (80 percent)

Due to the spread of the Omicron variant, Austria has tightened its entry rules on December 20, meaning that only vaccinated and recovered people are allowed to travel to the country for touristic purposes.

According to Austria’s official travel website, proof of vaccination or recovery with an additional negative PCR test (valid for 72 hours) or a booster jab is required for any type of entry.

Currently, the following countries are considered virus variant countries in Austria:

• The United Kingdom
• The Netherlands
• Denmark
• Norway 

Travelers, including international students from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway, are allowed to enter Austria with a negative PCR test which is valid 48 hours, if they are fully vaccinated and have received the booster.

“If you have recovered from Covid and then received two jabs or the other way around, this counts as a booster as well. However, you still need a negative PCR test (valid 48 hours),” the website notes.

Recently, 110 UK nationals were not permitted to enter Austria after failing to comply with the new travel restrictions.