Indian Vaccine World Class: Bharat Biotech on UK Travel Curbs

Hyderabad: Suchitra Ella, the Co-founder and Joint Managing Director of Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech has stated that vaccinations should not be a barrier to entry into any country.

She added, "Vaccines must not be entry barriers for nations," in response to the continuing debate over new UK travel rules that classify fully vaccinated Indians as unvaccinated and need a 10-day quarantine.

"Our vaccines will prove yet again that they are world class," Suchitra Ella tweeted, highlighting the fact that India has given billions of doses of Covid-19 vaccine throughout the world.

According to the new UK rules, Indian travellers who have received both doses of the Covishield vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII) will be considered unvaccinated and will be required to undergo self-isolation for ten days, despite the UK revising its travel policy to include Covishield as an approved vaccine after India raised strong objections.

Bharat Biotech Co-founder tweeted, "Our vaccines will prove, yet again, are world class. India has supplied billions of doses world over. Covid-19 taught us enough life lessons, vaccines must not be entry barriers for nations, when NRA approved & licensed, crossed 800 mn doses, no small achievement".

Covishield and Covaxin are the major vaccines used in India's mass vaccination drive. Covaxin was developed in cooperation with the Indian Council of Medical Research by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech. Researchers from the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca collaborated to create Covishield.

Dr Saumya Swaminathan, the WHO's chief scientist, has stated that all countries are expected to adopt the WHO's recommendations.

Speaking to the media, the WHO chief scientist said, "WHO position is clear on this that all countries should recognize EUL vaccines. All countries supposed to follow our recommendations. They are not binding".