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Tag: Covishield EU green pass

  • France greenlights Covishield; right here’s full listing of EU nations that recognise India-made vaccine

    France has change into the newest nation to allow travellers who’ve had AstraZeneca’s Indian-manufactured vaccine (Covishield) into the nation.
    The Indian Express had earlier reported that 9 international locations within the European Union (EU) have conveyed to the Indian authorities that they may settle for people vaccinated in opposition to Covid-19 with Covishield inside their borders. The international locations have been Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland and Estonia.
    Last week, WHO chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan had tweeted {that a} complete of 15 international locations within the European Union have accepted Covishield.

    15 international locations in EU now acknowledge #COVISHIELD for vacationers https://t.co/fb56AEOvOt
    — Soumya Swaminathan (@doctorsoumya) July 9, 2021
    After France’s choice, Covishield is accepted by 16 international locations now — France, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
    Referring to the event, SII CEO Adar Poonawalla tweeted, “It is indeed good news for travellers, as we see sixteen European countries recognising COVISHIELD as an acceptable vaccine for entry. However despite being vaccinated, entry guidelines might vary from country to country, so do read up before you travel.”
    The “green pass” scheme is EU’s digital Covid certificates programme that has been created to revive freedom of journey for the general public and take away the limitations on entry positioned as a result of pandemic.

    The certificates is a digital proof that an individual has both been vaccinated in opposition to Covid-19, or acquired a adverse take a look at consequence, or recovered from the viral an infection. The doc is legitimate throughout all EU international locations. The “green pass” scheme has been designed to make the expertise of journey hassle-free for folks by putting off restrictions, it isn’t completely obligatory.
    There was important public outcry after Covishield was not included within the listing of vaccines accepted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for EU’s “green pass” programme though AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured in Europe have been included for the aim.

    The solely vaccines included within the listing have been Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca (Europe) and Janssen.
    Poonawalla had stated that the difficulty might be appeared into and brought up on the highest degree. He tweeted, “I realise that a lot of Indians who have taken COVISHIELD are facing issues with travel to the E.U., 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.”
    Thereafter, India requested EU member states to just accept Covid-19 vaccines authorised by the WHO or nationwide authorities for Indians travelling to Europe, and stated India would, in flip, start a reciprocal coverage on exemption from quarantine, sources informed The Indian Express earlier.
    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar additionally took up the difficulty of approving Covishield for journey to Europe throughout a gathering with Josep Borell, the EU’s excessive consultant for international affairs and safety coverage, when the 2 leaders met on the margins of a gathering of the G20 Foreign Ministers in Italy.
    France’s choice to just accept Covishield comes at a time when the nation is tightening border checks to regulate the unfold of the Delta variant amid studies of rising infections.
    Starting Sunday, France will even begin requiring anybody who isn’t vaccinated arriving from Britain, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece or Cyprus to current a adverse take a look at lower than 24 hours previous to cross into French borders.

    Macron this week ordered all well being employees to get vaccinated by September 15 and introduced that particular Covid passes might be required in all eating places, bars, hospitals, buying malls, trains, and planes. To get a cross, folks should be absolutely vaccinated, have lately recovered from the virus, or have a recent adverse virus take a look at.
    (With inputs from AP)

  • EU member states can settle for WHO authorised vaccines like Covishield for journey certificates: Official

    Individual member states of the European Union can have the choice to simply accept vaccines authorised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) like Covishield for acquiring the bloc’s digital COVID certificates or ‘Green Pass’, an EU official mentioned on Tuesday.
    The official mentioned the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has not obtained an authorisation request until Monday for the Covishield vaccine manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII).
    In a gathering with the EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen on the sidelines of a G20 assembly in Italy, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar underlined the significance of “equitable vaccine access and a fair travel regime”. “A good conversation with EU Commissioner for International Partnerships @JuttaUrpilaine. Discussed the Covid challenge, our Connectivity Partnership and development cooperation. Underlined the importance of equitable vaccine access and a fair travel regime,” he tweeted.

    The Covishield vaccine is but to be cleared by the EMA. There have been apprehensions in India that individuals who took Covishield jabs are unlikely to be eligible to journey to the European Union member states below its ‘Green Pass’ scheme.
    The EU Digital COVID certificates or ‘Green Pass’ shall be obligatory to journey to European international locations and the doc will function proof that an individual is vaccinated towards COVID-19.

    “The aim of the EU Digital COVID Certificate is to facilitate free movement inside the EU. It is not a pre-condition to travel,” mentioned the official. “For the purpose of the Digital COVID Certificate, individual member states will have the option to accept also vaccinations that have been authorised by the World Health Organization, such as Covishield,” the official added.
    The EU Digital Covid Certificate is supposed to facilitate protected free motion throughout the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the EU member international locations and it’ll function proof that an individual was vaccinated towards COVID-19, obtained a unfavourable check outcome or recovered from the an infection.
    “Concerning a possible EMA authorisation for Covishield, as of yesterday, the European Medicine Agency (EMA) stated that it had not received a request for approval,” the official mentioned. “It will study any such request when obtained, as per its procedures.
    The EMA doesn’t examine new medication by itself except it’s requested by the related corporations,” the official mentioned. The EMA has already accepted 4 COVID-19 vaccines which included Vaxzevria, the AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured within the UK and EU-member international locations.

    The SII makes Covishield in India with a licence from AstraZeneca. The official mentioned momentary restrictions on non-essential journey to the EU are at present in place from many non-EU international locations, together with India because of the pandemic.
    “EU member states shall gradually lift these temporary travel restrictions at the external borders, based on developments of the health situation,” the official mentioned.