Covishield exclusion| Working to resolve EU travel issues for Indians, says Adar Poonawalla

Serum produced 300 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines until mid-June and the nation has administered 28.35 crore Covishield doses until date.

Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla on Monday stated he was making an attempt to resolve the issues being confronted by Indians, who’ve been vaccinated with Covishield, in travelling to European international locations.

A European Union (EU) vaccine passport programme will enable folks to journey freely throughout the bloc from July 1, so long as they’ve had one in all 4 Western-made vaccines. Whereas this contains the AstraZeneca shot, it doesn’t lengthen to Covishield, the Indian model produced by SII.

In a tweet, Poonawalla stated he would take up the issued with the EU regulators and in addition cope with it at a diplomatic stage with international locations. “I realise that lots of Indians who’ve taken COVISHIELD are going through points with journey to the E.U., I guarantee everybody, I’ve taken this up on the highest ranges and hope to resolve this matter quickly, each with regulators and at a diplomatic stage with international locations,” he tweeted.

Serum produced 300 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines until mid-June and the nation has administered 28.35 crore Covishield doses until date. SII has utilized to the EU regulator, European Medicines Company (EMA), for approval, however is but to get it. The EU has recognised the Vaxzevria model of vaccine made by AstraZeneca in Europe. SII has a tie-up with AstraZeneca to make this vaccine in India, bought beneath the Covishield model identify. Other than Vaxzevria, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson’s vaccines have made it to the EU Inexperienced Move record.

In line with reviews, the ministry of exterior affairs has already raised the problem of Covishield’s lack of recognition by the EMA.

—With company inputs