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According to the latest update, the European Union have refused Green Pass or Vaccine passports to the travellers who are administered with Covishield doses. The vaccine Covishield is the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine developed in India. However it has approved the Vaxzevria version of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine.
On regard to the above issue, the Serum Institute of India(SII) have requested the government to look into the matter for the inclusion of Covishield in the EU COVID-19 vaccine passport along with the European Union and other countries. The company notified that if the inclusion of the vaccine does not take place it will severely affect the students and business traveler as well as leading to a disruption in the Indian and global economy.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) have approved only four vaccines namely Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, Vaxzervria by AstraZenca-Oxford and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen as yet. As per reports, individuals who are administered by the mentioned vaccines will be able to receive vaccination passports and thereby be allowed to travel within the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A source quoted CEO of SII Adar Ponawalla who wrote to external affair minister S Jaishankar in a letter, “India has a large population. However not including Covishield in the EU COVID-19 Vaccination passport will not allow Covishield vaccinated people to travel to European countries and this will affect students, business travellers back and forth. This cause severe disruptions to our economy and to the global economy.”
Sources further revealed that the director of government and regulatory affairs at SII, Prakash Kumar Singh have also requested Jaishankar’s intervention at the highest level.