The Covid-19 pandemic has been the center of interest for the last 18 months, and many countries are struggling to control outbreaks. At the same time, vaccine supplies are not easy to obtain because many countries have pre-ordered or hoarded many doses. Some countries, such as India, Russia, and China, have developed their own Covid-19 vaccine, and they were able to help their population and protect them from the new coronavirus. Even though there are not enough doses worldwide to vaccinate the entire planet, many countries recognize only a couple of Covid-19 vaccines.
European countries do not recognize all Covid-19 vaccines
Countries in Europe, such as Hungary, have decided to use multiple Covid-19 vaccines such as Sinopharm, Sputnik, CanSino, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Janssen, and Moderna. The country is soon to approve another Covid-19 vaccine such as Valneva, CureVac, Sanofi-GSK, and Novavax. Its neighbor country, Romania, only recognizes AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, and Janssen, meaning that those vaccinated with other Covid-19 vaccines will be treated as unvaccinated when entering the country.
Many European countries recognize only AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer, and Janssen Covid-19 vaccines. The situation is ridiculous because a person vaccinated with any Covid-19 vaccine is certainly more protected than unvaccinated people.
The U.K recognizes Covishield after facing Backlash from Indian travelers
The U.K has recognized the Covishield vaccine manufactured in India after many discriminatory complaints. However, the Indian vaccine certificate is not valid in the U.K, meaning that all those coming from India must undergo a ten days quarantine.
The U.S only uses three Covid-19 vaccines: Janssen, Pfizer, and Moderna and, thus, does not recognize others. The situation is similar in many other countries, and many believe things should change soon. It is one thing to decide which Covid-19 vaccines you want to use for your country. And it is another thing to deny foreign travelers’ vaccination rights just because they are vaccinated with a different Covid-19 vaccine. The pandemic is far from over, and it should be a priority to get as many people vaccinated as possible. Governments should not discourage vaccination by not recognizing certain vaccines. An exception could be made for international travelers.
