Vaccination Passport: Adar Poonawala Assures Resolution Of Entry In EU With Covishield Jabs

Travellers vaccinated with Covishield, manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), may not be eligible for the European Union ‘Green Pass’.

FILE PIC/AFP

New Delhi: In response to the concerns regarding Indians who are vaccinated with Covishield not being eligible for the European Union’s 'Green Pass', Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla on Monday said that he will take this matter at the highest levels and try to resolve it soon.

"I realise that a lot of Indians who have taken Covishield are facing issues with travel to the E.U., I assure everyone, I have taken this up at the highest levels and hope to resolve this matter soon, both with regulators and at a diplomatic level with countries," tweeted the Poonawala on Monday.

Travellers vaccinated with Covishield, manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), may not be eligible for the European Union ‘Green Pass’. This pass will be available for use from July 1.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA), which is responsible for the evaluation and supervision of medicinal products, has given its nod to four Covid-19 vaccines so far: Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech), Moderna, Vaxzervria (AstraZeneca), Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).

However, Covishield, the Indian version of AstraZeneca and University of Oxford's Covid vaccine has not been recognised by the EMA for the European market.

Even as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has endorsed SII's Covishield for emergency use across the world, the EU's ‘Green Pass’ program only recognises EMA-approved vaccines.

Many EU member states have started issuing the digital “vaccine passport” that will enable Europeans to move freely for work or tourism. The immunity passport will serve as proof that a person has been vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), or recently tested negative for the virus, or has the natural immunity built up from earlier infection.