Indian batch of Astra Zeneca vaccine 11 July 2021 at 6:18PM in Coronavirus travel help & info 29 replies 2K views

TonyM19

Hi

I have read a couple of articles about how EU countries won't accept a certificate of vaccination if one of them was from some specific batches that had been produced by an EU unregistered company in India.  Of course, one of the people I would plan to fly with has had one of their vaccinations from one of these batches.  I haven't seen naything official about this anywhere.  Is this actually a thing?

If it was, would it have any impact?  If you could only travel to an Amber listed company with proof of double vaccinations or a negative Covid test, don't you have to take a Covid test anyway befoe you fly?  Isn't the only real benefit of being double vaccinated (from a holiday to an amber list country pov), that you don't have to isolate on return?  It's not going to be an issue at UK Border Control.

silvercar

Some countries exempt people from isolation if they are double jabbed, some test those that haven't been double jabbed, some only let in those that have been double jabbed. Depends on their rules. Same with these Indian batch numbers, some countries won't accept them.

Everything I have read points to this issue being an admin/ political issue; no one who received one of these batches should have any concern that they don't work.

TonyM19

It will be interesting to see what happens when people actually start flying to Amber countries and how this is dealt with.  I hope we don't get into a slanging match with the EU about this, where the only real losers will be anybody who inadvertently recieved the 'wrong' type of vaccine

Batesy1976

TonyM19 said:

It will be interesting to see what happens when people actually start flying to Amber countries and how this is dealt with.  I hope we don't get into a slanging match with the EU about this, where the only real losers will be anybody who inadvertently recieved the 'wrong' type of vaccine

People are already flying to amber-list countries so it's already being dealt with.

It's pretty simple, if the country says you need to have an approved COVID vaccine to enter and the CoviShield one is not approved you may be refused entry or forced to quarantine.  The same could be true of any vaccine (the US has not approved AZ yet for example.)

There is https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/eu-delegation-to-malaysia-says-all-who-approved-vaccines-are-valid-for-travel-to-eu-including-covishield/ but I'm not sure how reputable the site is.

I suspect that countries are going to have to have to broaden the definition of "approved" to something like the above link suggests (WHO approved rather than approved for use in their own countries) as there will be many vaccines that won't be approved quickly as they won't need to be administered in that country in the near future.  Just because a vaccine hasn't been approved yet doesn't mean it doesn't work.

In the very near future though, I suspect anyone other than a Pfizer or Moderna recipient is going to have to be careful about where they fly to.

lisyloo

TonyM19 said:

Hi

I have read a couple of articles about how EU countries won't accept a certificate of vaccination if one of them was from some specific batches that had been produced by an EU unregistered company in India.  Of course, one of the people I would plan to fly with has had one of their vaccinations from one of these batches.  I haven't seen naything official about this anywhere.  Is this actually a thing?

If it was, would it have any impact?  If you could only travel to an Amber listed company with proof of double vaccinations or a negative Covid test, don't you have to take a Covid test anyway befoe you fly?  Isn't the only real benefit of being double vaccinated (from a holiday to an amber list country pov), that you don't have to isolate on return?  It's not going to be an issue at UK Border Control.

Yes it’s an issue for other countries letting you in without quarantine.
we don’t get to make all the rules.
the country you are travelling to also has rules.
you need to check the rules for the country you are thinking about travelling to

Alan_Bowen

Malta have confirmed they will not accept the Indian manufactured version of the AZ vaccine and are now refusing entry, even with testing, to those who have not been fully vaccinated. This is probably the third or fourth change they have made in the last 10 days, an indication of just how difficult travel is at the moment

beckstar1975

For France at least you have to have an essential reason for travel unless you are double jabbed with an approved vaccine (ie not Covishield) and have a negative test. If you don't meet the double jabbed requirements you have to have an essential reason for travel AND have to quarantine too - I suspect this how others in the EU will do it too (caveats re under 18s apply)

sueb20

I've had one of the Indian batches so have been looking at threads on this and other forums. I nearly booked a holiday to Maderia for the end of this month but decided that it could potentially become a problem. My vaccine passport shows Vaxzevira for both doses but also shows the batch numbers given. 
Then I read about Malta and decided to stay in the UK for now! 

Westin

sueb20 said:

I've had one of the Indian batches so have been looking at threads on this and other forums. I nearly booked a holiday to Maderia for the end of this month but decided that it could potentially become a problem. My vaccine passport shows Vaxzevira for both doses but also shows the batch numbers given. 
Then I read about Malta and decided to stay in the UK for now! 

Myself and Mrs.Westin are the same. 

Our first Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccines doses back in mid-March were from the Indian batch ref 4120Z001.  Both AZ vaccinations show as Vaxzevira.

We are following the story with interest as it seems we could have issues and problems travelling if this "Indian batch" is not licenced or approved retrospectively by the EU or USA.  Recent media coverage seems to have however gone very quiet on the matter. 

What a mess. 

lisyloo

Alan_Bowen said:

Malta have confirmed they will not accept the Indian manufactured version of the AZ vaccine and are now refusing entry, even with testing, to those who have not been fully vaccinated. This is probably the third or fourth change they have made in the last 10 days, an indication of just how difficult travel is at the moment

This is not entirely unexpected and a good reason not to travel if it's "just" a holiday (massive sympathies to anyone split up).

Heathrow T5 reported queues due to 100 security guards asked to isolate.
They've now brought in replacement staff but another example of what is to be expected.

Is it really worth it?
I've had 3 nice UK holidays but admittedly been very lucky with the weather.

sueb20

Well it's being debated on other forums regarding entry to Malta.

Some people say they have boarded planes OK and the batch numbers haven't been checked on arrival to Malta.

 Others have said that their airlines won't let them board.