Indians who are fully vaccinated and tend to travel abroad will get a CoWin certificate with their full date of birth mentioned amid ongoing discussion between India and the UK over Covid vaccination certificates.
CoWin certificates currently mention only the beneficiary’s age based on the year of birth apart from other details.
The government is introducing the new feature in compliance with the World Health Organisation (WHO) norms and is likely to be available from next week, news agency PTI confirmed from official sources on September 25.
“It has been decided that a new feature will be added to the CoWin under which those who are fully inoculated and want to travel abroad will have the full date of birth on their vaccination certificates,” the official was quoted as saying by PTI.
The United Kingdom, on September 22, revised its new travel guidelines and included the India-made version of the AstraZeneca vaccine by Oxford University in its updated list of approved Covid-19 vaccines.
After India’s strong criticism over the UK’s discrimination and refusal to recognise Covishield, the health ministry has included the vaccine in its updated international travel advisory.
As per the revised travel guidelines by the UK officials, Indian travellers vaccinated with double doses of Covishield, however, would still have to meet the 10-day quarantine requirement in the UK, notwithstanding the amendment.
“The UK is open to travel and we are already seeing a lot of people going from India to the UK, be it tourists, business persons or students,” British High Commissioner Alex Ellis said in a statement on September 22, adding that “Covishield is not a problem.
“We have been having detailed technical discussions regarding certification, with the builders of the CoWin app and the NHS app, about both apps. They’re happening at a rapid pace, to ensure that both countries mutually recognise the vaccine certificates issued by each other,” he was quoted as stating.
