India takes up Covishield's absence from the European Union's 'Green Pass' list
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Only four vaccines are permitted for travel within the European Union under the certificate issued by the European Medicines Agency.
The issue of domestically manufactured Covishield not being on the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) "virtual vaccine passport" list has been taken up by India.
EMA is the regulatory body that approves medical products in the bloc. The matter has also been raised with the French government by India.
Serum Institute of India, the vaccine's maker, had never applied to the European Medicines Agency.
Earlier today its Chief assured the matter will be resolved soon.
Adar Poonawalla tweeted that, "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."
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.
— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) June 28, 2021
The Green Pass, which will be available on July 1, will allow for unrestricted movement in all EU member states for business and tourism.
Those who have been inoculated with any of the vaccinations approved by the European Medicines Agency would be eligible for the pass.
Only four vaccines are permitted for travel within the European Union under the certificate issued by the European Medicines Agency.
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They are Vaxzevria (Oxford-AstraZeneca), Comirnaty (Pfizer-BioNTech), Spikevax (Moderna) and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).
The Covishield version of AstraZeneca, which is manufactured by India's Serum Institute of India (SII), is not on the list.
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Only the Vaxzervia version of the AstraZeneca vaccine - manufactured in the UK and other sites in Europe - is eligible for Green Pass.
EU digital Covid certificate is digital proof that a person has either been vaccinated against COVID-19, received a negative test result, or recovered from COVID-19. It is valid in all EU countries. EMA releases a monthly update for each authorized COVID-19 vaccine.
While the impact is still to be known of the decision, but Covishield's listing under EMA means ease of travelling for Indians in future. The vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India has been approved by the World Health Organization.
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