FOLLOWING COUNTRIES ARE ALLOWING THE INDIANS VACCINATED WITH COVISHIELD:
Clarity and confusion both are there. As to why some European countries are allowing Indians who have been vaccinated with Covishield, the Indian version of AstraZeneca? And why others are not allowing despite WHO’s nod for the vaccine, which has been supplied to both high and low-income countries. Reasons apart:
The 13 EU members are ready to allow travel to their countries who have got Covishield shot. They are:
- Belgium
- Austria
- Bulgaria
- Estonia
- Finland
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Irelan
- Latvia
- Netherlands
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden.
Among the non-EU bloc Switzerland and Iceland have also accepted Covishield as Schengen state.
THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE NOT YET ALLOWED THE COVISHIELD (INDIAN VERSION) INOCULATED ARE:
France, Italy, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Slovakia.
(Norway and Lichtenstein are non-EU member states, while 14 are EU members).
Easy travel to Europe for Indians received a roadblock on Sunday (June 25, 2021) when the European Union (EU) decided not to put Serum Institute of India (SII)-manufactured Covishield in ‘Green Pass’ list. The ‘Green Pass’ is required from July 1 for easy travel to and within the EU.
BACKGROUND:
Easy travel to Europe for Indians received a roadblock on Sunday (June 25, 2021) when the European Union (EU) decided not to put Serum Institute of India (SII)-manufactured Covishield in ‘Green Pass’ list. The ‘Green Pass’ is required from July 1 for easy travel to and within the EU.
India, however, has decided to take up the issue with the European Union (EU).
AstraZeneca’s version Covishield vaccine is manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII). In a sudden twist of events, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) decided not to approve it for travel ‘Green Pass’.
Even after WHO approval for the vaccine, the EMA took this decision.
Timing for this kind of restriction is critical for the Indians, particularly the Indian students. They have taken admissions in universities located in the EU and about to join the classes as and when they get a call from the respective institutions.
As per current protocol, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is approving only Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech), Moderna, Vaxzervria (AstraZeneca), and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).
Covishield, an AstraZeneca’s version is a WHO co-sponsored COVAX initiative under which Indians and citizens of low- and middle-income countries were immunised.