The UK has included AstraZeneca Covishield in its list of accepted vaccines, but even fully vaccinated travellers from India will have to quarantine for 10 days under the relaxed rules that come into force there from October 4.
This is because the UK has not recognised India’s Covid vaccination certification process yet. “We are engaging with the government of India to explore how we could expand UK recognition of vaccine certification to people vaccinated by a relevant public health body in India,” a spokesperson for the British High Commission in Delhi said. India has warned of taking reciprocal action as the UK examines how it can recognise certification to people vaccinated in India.
British high commissioner to India Alex Ellis said: “We’re clear Covishield is not a problem. The UK is open to travel and we’re already seeing a lot of people going from India to the UK, be it tourists, business people or students. Over 62,500 student visas have been issued in the year ending June 2021, which is an increase of almost 30% as compared to the previous year. We want to make the process of travelling as easy as possible.
“We have been having detailed technical discussions regarding certification, with the builders of the CoWIN app and the NHS app, about both apps. They’re happening at a rapid pace, to ensure that both countries mutually recognise the vaccine certificates issued by each other,” Ellis said.
An update in the UK government website included Covishield in the list of accepted vaccines. On September 17, the UK announced a new travel system which has just a red list and rest of the world. New rules apply to rest of the world arrivals in England from October 4. But for those from India, the conditions are the same as when India was moved from red to amber list on August 8.
So, travellers from India must take a pre-departure test, and a Covid-19 test on or before Day 2 and on or after Day 8, and self-isolate for 10 days.
CoWin vax certificate foolproof, has all details, say govt officials. The Covid vaccination certificate generated through CoWin is “foolproof ” and linked to the level of the vaccination centre with information validated on the system, top government officials said. Responding to reports that the UK has raised doubts over vaccination certificates, even as it reviewed its order not to recognise Covishield vaccinated persons, officials said India's digital platform has proved itself. In a recent press conference, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had said the Centre and states have "line data" on those vaccinated, down to names, telephone numbers and addresses.
While reports on the UK's alleged misgivings did the rounds, National Health Authority chief executive R S Sharma, who also heads the CoWin team, said he was unaware of any queries over data. “I am not aware of any concern being raised by any of their (UK) officials over Covid vaccine certificate generated by CoWin. It is an absolutely foolproof certificate with each and every information validated on the system,” Sharma said.
