Nine countries – Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Spain, Estonia and Switzerland – have cleared Serum Institute of India’s Covishield, sources said today, amid a row over vaccines accepted for a “green pass” allowing free travel in the region. The European Medicines Agency (EMA), the EU’s top medical body, has approved only four vaccines so far – Pfizer-BioNTech’s Comirnaty, US pharma giant Moderna’s Covid vaccine, the AstraZeneca shot manufactured and sold in Europe as Vaxzervria, and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen.
Only those who have been given these shots are granted vaccination passports and allowed to travel hassle-free amid the pandemic. Covishield, manufactured in India by the world’s largest manufacture Serum Institute of India in partnership with the Oxford University and AstraZeneca, is not on the list. Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin is also not on the EMA list. The EU does, however, also say “member states may decide to extend this (the certificate) also to EU travellers that received another vaccine”. Under these rules, Indians – vaccinated with Covishield or Covaxin – may be subject to quarantine if they travel to the EU nations, unless these vaccines are cleared by the respective countries.
On Wednesday, sources in the foreign ministry said India will begin a reciprocal policy when it comes to exemption from quarantine. This would mean that unless the European Union accepts those vaccinated with Covishield and Covaxin, people from EU will also face mandatory quarantine upon arrival in India.
News Source : Schengenvisainfo
