EU Travel Issues: Taken this up at highest level, says Adar Poonawalla on Covidshield

New Delhi: Serum Institute of India’s Adar Poonawalla on Monday said he has spoken with authorities after the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, which is being manufactured by his company, was excluded from the list of anti-Covid-19 shots that are eligible for the European Union’s “Green Pass”.

“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,” Adar Poonawalla tweeted.

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.

— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) June 28, 2021

This comes after reports that travellers vaccinated with Covishield, the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine manufactured in India by the SII, may not be eligible for the European Union’s ‘Green Pass’.

Europe’s vaccine passport programme, which allowed recipients to travel to and from Europe with fewer roadblocks, may not recognise recipients of the Covishield vaccine.

Covishield is one of the three COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in India.