Vaccination against the coronavirus: it smacks of racism

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Covishield is currently the most widely used COVID-19 vaccine in India (File)

New Delhi:

A new UK travel advisory – which says people from India and a few other countries will be considered ‘unvaccinated’ even after two doses of AstraZeneca’s Covishield (used worldwide as Vaxzervria ) – rekindled the controversy over freedom of international travel during the pandemic.

Congressman Shashi Tharoor said he had canceled several pledges because of the rules – which were announced by the UK government on Friday and will go into effect on October 4 – and that it was “offensive to ask Indians to be fully vaccinated to quarantine ”.

“For this reason, I have withdrawn from a debate at the Cambridge Union (the oldest debating society in the world) and launch events for the UK edition of my book The Battle Of Belonging … It is offensive to ask fully vaccinated Indians to quarantine. Brits are reviewing! “

For this reason, I have withdrawn from a debate at the @cambridgeunion launch events and outside the UK edition launch events of my book #TheBattleOfBelonging (published there as #TheStruggleForIndiasSoul). It is offensive to ask fully vaccinated Indians to self-quarantine. The British are evaluating! https://t.co/YEVy3Ez5dj

Shashi Tharoor (hasShashiTharoor) September 20, 2021

Mr. Tharoor’s party colleague Jairam Ramesh called the rules “racist”.

“Absolutely bizarre considering that Covishield was originally developed in the UK and the Serum Institute, Pune has supplied to this country as well! It smacks of racism,” he tweeted.

Absolutely bizarre considering that Covishield was originally developed in the UK and the Serum Institute, Pune supplied to this country as well! It smacks of racism. https://t.co/GtKOzMgydf

Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 20, 2021

The new rules reflect the UK’s decision to remove its “orange” list from October 4.

India is currently on this list and has not yet been moved to the expanded ‘green’ list – countries whose vaccines are recognized by the UK.

From 4 October, therefore, passengers not vaccinated under “programs approved in the UK (and UK overseas), Europe or the US” must self-initiate. quarantine for 10 days, as well as paying for two Covid tests.

They can pay for an early test to be released from quarantine.

These rules exclude countries – such as Australia, Bahrain, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and South Korea – where the AstraZeneca vaccine (produced and sold in India as Covishield) is used.

The new system is expected to remain in place for at least a year, the new agency PTI reported, with the next review only scheduled for early 2022.

The AstraZeneca jab is manufactured and sold in India as Covishield (File)

The advisory is of particular concern for India, where Covishield is the most widely used vaccine and its non-recognition by the UK (although its government uses the same drug under a different name) will hamper travel plans for students, tourists, businessmen and others. vaccinated in this country.

Covishield already has EUA status, or emergency use approval, from the World Health Organization.

The UK government’s move comes despite the fact that more than a dozen European countries, including France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands, have approved the India-made Covishield. Fully vaccinated individuals (with Covishield) do not need to return a negative Covid test to enter these countries.

In July, there was also a controversy over the acceptance of Covishield by the European Union.

The EMA, or European Medical Agency, approved Vaxzervria but not Covishield, prompting the Indian government to warn it would revoke reciprocal authorization for the former.

This was ahead of the contentious plans of the European Union to introduce a “Covid digital certificate” to “facilitate safe (and) free movement … during the pandemic”. The “certificate,” the EU said, is proof that the holder is either vaccinated, tested negative for coronavirus, or has recovered from infection.

Similar concerns – over the West’s unfair treatment of vaccines used elsewhere – were reported in June by the African CDC (African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Covishield has been supplied to several African countries as part of the United Nations COVAX initiative.

With the contribution of AFP, PTI

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