In a significant development, the UK government announced its plan to add India’s Covaxin to a list of COVID-19 vaccines approved for international travellers from November 22. The UK government recently announced recognising Covid-19 vaccines listed in World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing.
Travellers inoculated with the Bharat Biotech vaccine will not need to isolate themselves after arriving in England. The new rules will come into force from 4 am on November 22.
Earlier in October, the UK approved the Covishield vaccine and produced Oxford-AstraZeneca, India, easing the international travels for Indians.
Taking the news on Twitter, British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis said, “More good news for Indian travellers to the UK. From November 22 travellers fully vaccinated with a COVID19 vaccine recognised by WHO for Emergency Use Listing, including Covaxin, will not have to self-isolate; so joining those fully vaccinated with Covishield.”
On the other hand, Hungary and Serbia agreed to recognise India’s COVID-19 vaccination certificate. The announcement was made by India’s Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
The announcement came shortly after the UK decided to ease travel restrictions for fully vaccinated Indians.
“Mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificate begins! India and Hungary agree to recognise each other’s COVID-19 vaccination certificate,” said the official spokesperson for the Ministry.
“Yet another country recognises India’s vaccination certificate! Traditional friendship with Serbia translates into mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificates,” said the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs.
The Ministry further stated that the mutual recognition of the COVID-19 vaccination certificate would facilitate the movement of people from one country to another for education, business, tourism, and beyond.
On November 3, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin received World Health Organisation’s approval for an emergency use listing. WHO’s technical advisory team has now recommended the India-made vaccine for emergency use listing for 18 years and above.
Covaxin is India’s indigenously developed, completely ‘made in India’ vaccine by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research. The World Health Organisation’s panel had sought additional clarifications from Bharat Biotech last week while reviewing the Covaxin. So far, Covaxin has demonstrated 77.8 per cent effectiveness against symptomatic COVID-19 and 65.2 per cent protection against the new Delta variant of coronavirus disease.
