This isn't xenophobia, it's just understanding what these visas are for. The purpose of a student visa is that you need to be in the country in order to attend the school. If that's not the case, if you are not going to actually be on the campus, then it makes no sense to demand a student visa.
When this crisis is over, and students actually need to show up to the campus, then the student visa will make sense again.
When this crisis is over, and students actually need to show up to the campus, then the student visa will make sense again.