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UK to recognise India’s indigenous COVID vaccine Covaxin, to add to approved list from November 22

This means that those inoculated with the Bharat Biotech-manufactured jab will not have to undergo self-isolation after arrival in England.
 

UK to recognise India's indigenous COVID vaccine Covaxin, to add to approved list from November 22-dnm
Author
London, First Published Nov 9, 2021, 12:24 PM IST

The UK government announced that it is adding India’s Covaxin and China’s Sinovac and Sinopharm Beijing vaccines for inbound international travellers from November 22, following their “emergency-use listing” by the World Health Organization (WHO). This means that those inoculated with the Bharat Biotech-manufactured jab will not have to undergo self-isolation after arrival in England.

The WHO listing followed an assessment of the quality, safety and efficacy of the vaccine and allows countries to expedite their own regulatory approval for the jab. Meanwhile, Covishield, the India-manufactured Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, was recognised for inbound travel from October 4.

Covishield and Covaxin are the two main vaccines being used for India’s immunisation programme. Tweeting that the new announcement was part of “more good news” for travellers from India to the UK, British high commissioner Alex Ellis said, “From November 22, travellers fully vaccinated with a #COVID19 vaccine recognised by @WHO for Emergency Use Listing, including Covaxin, will not have to self-isolate; so joining those fully vaccinated with Covishield.”

In a statement issued on Monday night, the UK government said, “From 4am on Monday, November 22, the government will recognise vaccines on the World Health Organization’s Emergency-Use Listing (WHO EUL).” The statement added, “As a result, Sinovac, Sinopharm Beijing and Covaxin will be added to our list of approved vaccines for inbound travel, benefitting more fully vaccinated people from countries such as the UAE, Malaysia and India.”

According to the latest travel advisory, fully vaccinated passengers will not be required to take a pre-departure test, day-8 test or self-isolate upon arrival. Also, the UK government has simplified the travel rules for all under-18s coming to England. They will now be treated as fully vaccinated at the border and will be exempt from self-isolation requirements on arrival, day-8 testing and pre-departure testing. They will only be required to take one post-arrival test and a confirmatory free PCR test if they test positive.

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