New Delhi: Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, India's domestically manufactured vaccine against the coronavirus has been formally recognised by Australia's medicines and medical devices regulator on Monday as the country's border was reopened for the first time in nearly 20 months.






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Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and AstraZeneca & Oxford University's Covishield are the two widely used vaccines in India. Australia has already recognised Covishield.


"Today, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) determined that Covaxin (manufactured by Bharat Biotech, India) and BBIBP-CorV (manufactured by Sinopharm, China) vaccines would be 'recognised' for the purpose of establishing a traveller's vaccination status, Australia's medicines and medical devices regulator TGA said. This recognition is for travellers aged 12 and over who have been vaccinated with Covaxin. 


This includes homologous (two doses of the same vaccine) and heterologous (two doses of two different TGA-approved or recognised vaccines) schedules, it added.


According to a PTI report in addition to input from the TGA, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) have determined that those who have received two doses of a TGA-approved or recognised vaccine at least 14 days apart are regarded as fully vaccinated from 7 days after the second dose (with the exception of Janssen vaccine, where they are regarded as fully vaccinated 7 days after the single dose), it said.


Australia reopens after 20 months


Australia's international borders reopened on Monday, ending nearly 20 months of tough restrictions and sparking emotional scenes at Sydney and Melbourne airports as people reunited with their loved ones. At Sydney airport, passengers on flights from Singapore and Los Angeles were met with hugs and tears, the Australian media reported.


Australia was one of the first countries to shut its borders to international travel in March 2020 after the pandemic, which was first reported in central China's Wuhan city, peaked. Shortly after the start of the pandemic, the government said only citizens and permanent residents would be allowed to enter, and they would have to undergo two weeks of hotel quarantine. A quota system also severely limited the number of people who could arrive each day.


Prime Minister Scott Morrison said citizens and permanent residents who have received both their shots would be allowed to travel internationally and return home from Monday with arrival quotas also lifted.