India Asks Europe To Accept Covaxin, Covishield; Else Mandatory Quarantine For All Europeans!

India is all set to follow the European Union’s suit in imposing mandatory quarantine for citizens from its member countries, on arrival in India.

This action will come in response to the European Union’s denial in accepting the vaccines made in India, like Covishield and Covaxin for its ‘vaccination passport’.

For further clarification, it means that the EU is not allowing the entry of citizens of India vaccinated with either of the two vaccines, without a mandatory quarantine.

As a result of this, sources have said that India too will start with a reciprocal policy of the same nature, in terms of exemption from quarantine.

EU Not Accepting Indian Vaccines

The member countries of the European Union are currently accepting only vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency, which include Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Janssen.

However, the version of AstraZeneca created by Covishield has still not gotten clearance by the European Medicines Agency.

Some sources in the foreign ministry familiar with the issue have said that the Indian government has asked the EU to notify Covishield and Covaxin in its digital Covid certificate.

However, the European Union ambassador to India, Ugo Astuto responds that every approval process of the vaccine must be conducted on its own merit.

It has also been informed that the Serum Institute of India has applied for EU’s nod for Covishield through its European partner, AstraZeneca but according to the European Medicines Agency, no such request has been received.

India Looks out to Begin Reciprocal Policy

In response to the EU’s denial of letting in Indian citizens vaccinated with Covishield or Covaxin into their member countries without a compulsory quarantine, India too has decided to do the same.

This means unless the European Union accepts Covishield and Covaxin certificates, their certificates will not be accepted in the country and people from EU will face mandatory quarantine upon arrival in India, states NDTV.

Forign minister S Jaishankar tweeted on this issue on Tuesday, “Discussed vaccine production and access. Took up ‘Covishield’ authorisation for travel to Europe. Will be following up.”