9 European Union (EU) countries have approved Covishield, the Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII), and have allowed its recipients to enter their land.
The 9 countries include Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Estonia, Switzerland and Spain, TOI reported quoting government sources. Estonia has also confirmed that it will recognise all vaccines authorised by the Indian government — Covishield and Covaxin — for travel.
The European Union had earlier left it to individual member states to decide whether to allow travellers who have received vaccines "that have been authorised at the national level or by the World Health Organization (WHO)".
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However, the EU has still not given the “Green Pass” to AstraZeneca developed and Serum Institute of India (SII) produced Covishield.
Covishield is the Indian-made version of AstraZeneca's jab, which has been authorised in the EU.
The SII has also submitted an application seeking approval for its vaccine from the EU commission. The company officials said that they expect the clearance in a month.
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The vaccines currently eligible for the green pass have all been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
Serum's CEO, Adar Poonawalla, said on Monday that his company hopes to "resolve this matter soon", referring to the fact that Covishield had not yet been authorised by the EU.
India has so far overwhelmingly administered Covishield jabs - they account for more than 284 million of the 323 or so million vaccinations given so far.
Covaxin, an Indian homegrown vaccine, which has not yet received WHO approval, has also not applied for EMA authorisation. Sputnik V, which is the third vaccine approved for use in India and by the WHO, is on the EMA's list of vaccines currently under review.
