In a major win for Bharat Biotech, the Australian government announced on Monday that it had recognised Covaxin, allowing entry for travellers who had received the Indian COVID vaccine.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia's drug regulator, announced on Monday it had recognised Covaxin and China's Sinopharm. The TGA stated "This recognition is for travellers aged 12 and over who have been vaccinated with Covaxin". Those travellers in the 18-60 age group who had received Sinopharm shots would also be allowed entry.
The recognition of the two vaccines comes as Australia began easing entry and exit curbs, imposed following the pandemic, from Monday.
The recognition by the TGA will also come as a relief for many persons of Indian origin and NRIs who remain stranded in India due to the previous vaccine curbs. The TGA said, "recognition of Covaxin… along with the previously announced recognition of Coronavac (manufactured by Sinovac, China) and Covishield (manufactured by AstraZeneca, India), means many citizens of China and India as well as other countries in our region where these vaccines have been widely deployed will now be considered fully vaccinated on entry to Australia. This will have significant impacts for the return of international students, and travel of skilled and unskilled workers to Australia."
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Recognition for Covaxin has been delayed in numerous countries as the WHO has yet to give Emergency Use Listing for the vaccine. The WHO is scheduled to hold a meeting on the issue of recognition for Covaxin on November 3.
