Vaccine passport: EU says medical body hasn't received Covishield approval request

Amid concerns among Covishield-vaccinated Indians facing issues with travel to Europe, the EU said on Tuesday the medical body of the union, EMA has not received a request for the approval of Covishield in the COVID-19 'vaccination passport'. It will examine any such request when received, as per its procedures," the EU said in a statement.

The European Union has not yet recognised the India-made version of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine.

Serum Institute chief Adar Poonawalla tweeted that he had "taken this up at the highest levels, with regulators and at diplomatic levels" and that he hoped the matter would be resolved soon.

So far, only those vaccinated by either Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca-Oxford and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be allowed restriction-free travel within the EU during the pandemic.