Nine European nations include Covishield vaccine on their travel list

Estonia is the first country to do so; Austria, Germany annd Switzerland are among the others

As many as nine European nations will allow Indian travellers who have taken Serum Institute of India (SII) manufactured Covishield vaccine to enter these countries, a person aware of the development said.

The nine countries include Slovenia, Greece, Austria, Estonia, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Spain and Switzerland. Of these, Estonia is the first country to confirm that it will recognise all the vaccines authorised by the government of India for travel of Indians to the country, the person cited above said.

The development comes at a time when European Union (EU) Digital Covid Certificate framework, to facilitate free movement during the Covid pandemic, is to come into effect from 1 July, 2021. The framework allows people vaccinated with vaccines authorized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to be exempted from travel restrictions within the European Union.

Individual member states also have the flexibility to also accept vaccines that have been authorised at the national level or by the World Health Organization (WHO).

India has urged EU member states to individually consider extending similar exemption to those travellers who have taken Covishield and Covaxin vaccine in India, and accept the vaccination certificate issued through the CoWIN portal. The genuineness of such vaccination certification can be authenticated on the CoWIN portal, the person said.

India has also conveyed to EU member nations that India will institute a reciprocal policy for recognition of the EU Digital Covid Certificate.

“Upon notification of Covishield and Covaxin for inclusion in the EU Digital Covid Certificate and recognition of Indian CoWIN vaccination certificates, Indian health authorities would reciprocally exempt the concerned EU Member State for exemption from mandatory quarantine all those persons carrying EU Digital Covid Certificate,” the person said.