Eight European nations include Covishield in 'Green Passport' after India’s reciprocity condition
The development has come after India had told EU nations that it would allow EU travellers in India without mandatory quarantine only on the basis of reciprocity.
FollowSeven EU nations and Switzerland have accepted India’s Covishield in their ‘Green Pass’, that is, persons vaccinated with Covishield will be allowed to travel in those nations, the Economic Times reported on Thursday.
EU states — Germany, Slovenia, Austria, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Spain and Switzerland — have included Covishield on their list of approved vaccines. This means those inoculated with the Covishield vaccine will be exempted from travel curbs to these countries.
India pressed the European Union (EU) to include Covishield and Covaxin in the list of vaccines that qualify for the grouping’s Digital Covid Certificate. Recognition of the India-made vaccines would be reciprocated and holders of the EU inoculation pass will be exempted from mandatory quarantine, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) is said to have conveyed on Wednesday.
India had conveyed to the EU that they need to include India-made Covishield and Covaxin in their ‘Green Pass’ that comes into effect from July.
The EU Digital Covid Certificate or Green Pass framework will facilitate free movement among member states from Thursday. Under this, those inoculated with vaccines authorised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will be exempted from travel curbs within the EU.
Meanwhile, the EU has claimed that SII had not applied for the permissions with the European Medicines Agency and had promised to consider its case as soon as it applied. However, New Delhi contended that the EMA must consider the Indian-made vaccines by accepting the CoWin certificate, regardless of the applications.
Issue blown out of proportion: Adar
Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla played down on Wednesday with Covishield not getting approved for the EU green pass, saying, “It is not a controversy at all. It’s been blown out of proportion,” reports Naomi Canton.
“The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is correct in asking us to apply, which we have through AstraZeneca a month ago, and that process has to take its time. In a month we are confident the EMA will approve Covishield. There is no reason not to as it is based on AstraZeneca data and our product is identical to AstraZeneca more or less,” Poonawalla said.
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