A new problem has arisen after vaccination for Indians who want to go to Europe after the havoc of the corona virus subsides. The European Union has not yet approved the Indian vaccine Covishield, due to which those who get this vaccine will not be given a green pass. Because of this Indians will not be able to travel to European countries. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) explained the reason for not approving Covishield, saying that the vaccine does not currently have marketing authorization in the European Union.
The European Medicines Agency said that a slight difference in manufacturing can lead to a significant difference in the finished product because vaccines are biological products. The agency said EU law requires evaluating manufacturing sites and production processes. This is essential for the clearance of any vaccine.
EU has approved these vaccines
Currently, only four Covid vaccines have been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which include the names of Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. That is, only those who get one of these four vaccines will be able to travel to European countries. Covishield, a variant of the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), is yet to be approved by the EMA for the European market. It was told by the agency that AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine Vaxzevria has been approved by EMA because it is UK or Europe manufactured.
India to take up the issue of vaccine approval
On Monday, it was reported that travelers taking the vaccine from India-made AstraZeneca-Oxford Vaccine Covishield should not be given an EU Green Pass. After this, India will now take up the issue of approval of the Covidshield vaccine by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) during the discussion between Indian and EU officials on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Italy on Tuesday.
Adar Poonawalla writes to External Affairs Minister Jaishankar
A source quoted Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla as saying, “India has a large population. Non-inclusion of Covidshield in the EU COVID-19 vaccination passport will prevent vaccinated people from traveling to European countries and will cause travel difficulties for students, businessmen and this will cause major disruption to our economy and the global economy. Poonawalla met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
Sources quoted Poonawalla’s letter as saying that Prakash Kumar Singh, director of government and regulatory affairs at SII, has also asked the minister to intervene. Singh has said that if the Covidshield vaccine is included in the EU Kovid-19 vaccination passport, it will be in the interest of the country as well as the people of the world.
Poonawalla tweeted, ‘I am aware that many Indians who have been vaccinated against Covidshield are facing problems traveling to the EU, I assure everyone that this has been taken up at the highest level and hope to resolve it soon.’
