Adar Poonawalla hails UK's decision to scrap quarantine for vaccinated Indian travellers

As the UK government announced that Indian travellers who are ‘fully vaccinated’ with the two-dose regime of Covishield do not need to mandatorily quarantine after they arrive in England effective October 11, CEO of the Serum Institute of India Adar Poonawalla took to his official Twitter handle to thank India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The SII CEO expressed gratitude for the drastic step taken by the UK government, on the recommendation of India’s PM.

PM Modi also shared a video broadcast by the British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis, wherein the envoy announced that the UK has exempted Indian travellers from the quarantine under its traffic light system. He added that Indians who are fully vaccinated with the Covishield COVID vaccine or another UK-approved vaccine will have no requirement to be isolated from October 11. 

“Thanks to the Indian government for close cooperation over last month,” Ellis wrote.

India asked UK to review ‘red list’ travel ban, imposed tit-for-tat protocol 

India had made constant appeals to the UK to review their ‘red list’ travel ban on Indian nationals citing the improved pandemic situation in Mumbai, and the capital New Delhi. India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had for over several months briefed UK about India’s bare minimum COVID-19 toll as he also made a two-day trip to the UK to take stock of the Roadmap 2030 for closer ties as agreed by the two leaders PM Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. 

India had asked the UK government to consider lifting the travel bans for visitors from India citing the issuance of vaccine ‘immunity’ certificates implemented by the Indian government, that should facilitate international travel and make it hassle-free. Due to delayed response from the UK, India also stopped about 700 travellers who arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi from the United Kingdom on October 4, for isolation, in a tit-for-tat protocol. All UK passengers were sent to a 10-day obligatory quarantine after undergoing an RT-PCR test at the airport.

British high commissioner to India Alex Ellis, however, tweeted that the UK has finally lifted the ban for Indian travellers and has granted recognition to the Covishield vaccine. "Good evening! From Monday, 11th October, travellers from India to the UK, double jabbed by Covishield or any other vaccine recognised by the UK regulator does not have to quarantine. So it will be easier and cheaper to enter the UK. This is great news," Alex Ellis said in a video message. 

Image: AP