India has asked individual member states of the European Union to grant exemption to people who have taken Covishield and Covaxin for travel to Europe, ANI reported on Wednesday, 30 June, quoting sources.
The countries have reportedly been requested to accept vaccination certificates issued by Co-WIN under the 'Green Pass' regime.
India has also said that it will institute a reciprocal policy for recognition of the European Union's 'Green Pass', wherein once Covaxin and Covishield are included in the EU Digital Certificate, citizens from EU member states will be granted exemption from mandatory quarantine.
This comes amid concern over the fact that under Europe’s new ‘vaccine passport’ scheme, travellers vaccinated with Covishield may not be eligible for hurdle-free travelling as allowed by the ‘Green Pass’, because the regime does not recognise the jab.
The Green Pass is a digital vaccine passport being made available from 1 July 2021 to facilitate ease of travel between the countries that come under the EU.
As of now, travellers who have been vaccinated by any one of the four vaccines – Pfizer, Moderna, J&J, and AstraZeneca's Vaxzervria – approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will be eligible for the Green Pass.
Covishield, which is manufactured at Serum Institute of India, is derived from the AstraZeneca shot but has been excluded from the list of vaccines approved under the new regime. Bharat Biotech’s vaccine Covaxin has also not been listed in the approved list.
CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII), Adar Poonawalla, on Monday, 28 June, reassured Covishield-vaccinated Indians facing trouble with travel to the European Union that the matter will be resolved soon.
"I realise that a lot of Indians who have taken Covishield are facing issues with travel to the EU, I assure everyone, I have taken this up at the highest levels and hope to resolve this matter soon, both with regulators and at a diplomatic level with countries," Poonawalla said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, the EU on Tuesday, 29 June, clarified that while the aim of the EU Digital COVID Certificate is to facilitate free and safe movement inside the EU, amid the pandemic, it is reportedly not a pre-condition to travel.
An EU official has also, as per ANI, confirmed that member states of the EU will have the option to accept vaccinations that have been authorised by the World Health Organization (WHO), including Covishield.
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