UK PM backs India's Covishield vaccine for EU green pass; says it should be accepted

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday backed India's Covishield vaccine, saying that there was no reason why a vaccine approved by the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) should not be recognized as a part of vaccine passports. This comes amid the row over the India-made vaccine's acceptance for the 'EU Green Pass'. Around 5 million people in Britain are said to have been inoculated by SII's Covishield vaccine.

Addressing a joint news conference with Angela Merkel Boris Johnson said, "I see no reason at all why the MHRA-approved vaccines should not be recognized as part of the vaccine passports and I'm very confident that that will not prove to be a problem."

Covishield & EU Green Pass row

As nations began unlocking in Europe, the European Union (EU) agreed to a 'Green pass' which allows freedom of travel and exempts quarantine obligations, and testing for travellers possessing a Digital Covid Certificate. Four vaccines have been approved by the European Medicine Agency under its 'Green pass'-- Comirnaty (BioNTech, Pfizer), Moderna, Vaxzevria (previously COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, Oxford) and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson). Those inoculated with these vaccines would be allowed unrestricted movement in all EU member states for business and tourism purposes. However, the Serum Insitute of India's Covishield which is being manufactured in partnership with AstraZeneca has not been recognized in the list. 

Covishield accepted by several EU countries

Meanwhile, even as Covishield awaits European Medicines Agency (EMA) acceptance, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland and Spain have accepted Covishield for the 'EU Green Pass', which comes into force from July 1. Sources further report that Switzerland and Estonia have also allowed Covishield for entering their respective nations. This comes after the EU stated that while the EMA did not give acceptance to a vaccine without a request from the company, member states of the EU have the option to accept vaccinations authorised by the WHO. SII has submitted an application to the EMA for approval on Monday. India's other indigenously-produced vaccine -- Covaxin is yet to be cleared by the WHO.

(With Agency Inputs)