Australia recognises India's 'Covaxin' Covid jab

THE government of Australia on Monday gave recognition to Covaxin Covid-19 vaccine made by India’s Bharat Biotech for establishing a traveller’s vaccination status in the country.

“Today, the TGA determined that Covaxin (manufactured by BharatBiotech) vaccine would be ‘recognised’ for the purpose of establishing a traveller’s vaccination status,” Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration, the country's medicines and medical devices regulator, said in a tweet.

Australia thus became the first major economy to recognise both the India-manufactured vaccines -- Covishield and Covaxin.

“In recent weeks, the TGA has obtained additional information demonstrating these vaccines provide protection and potentially reduce the likelihood that an incoming traveller would transmit COVID-19 infection to others while in Australia or become acutely unwell due to COVID-19,” a statement from the country’s health department said.

According to the statement, recognition of Covaxin, along with the previously announced recognition of Covishield, manufactured by AstraZeneca, India, means many citizens of India as well as from other countries where the vaccines are widely deployed will now be considered fully jabbed for entry to Australia.

“This will have significant impacts for the return of international students, and travel of skilled and unskilled workers to Australia,” it added.

From Monday, jabbed Australians and permanent residents aged 12 and above may leave Australian shores without the need to seek a travel exemption, the health department added, according to Asian News International.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has sought additional clarifications from Bharat Biotech and a decision on emergency-use authorisation is expected early December.

The approval for emergency-use authorisation for Covaxin would aid the process of assisting other countries, Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Saturday (30) said while addressing a media briefing on the inaugural day of G20 summit in Rome, Italy, which was also attended by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.

Modi thanked his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison in a tweet over Australia recognising the 'Covaxin' jab.