<<Print>>

The African Union (AU) and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have voiced "concern" after it emerged that Europe's digital 'green pass' does not recognize a vaccine that was donated to many African countries through the COVAX initiative.

The European Union (EU) Digital Covid Certificate enables people who have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine approved by its medicines regulator, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), to travel freely within the bloc.

But the pass only recognizes AstraZeneca doses manufactured in Europe (branded Vaxzevria) and not those manufactured by the world's largest vaccine manufacturer -- the Serum Institute of India (SII) -- which is branded Covishield.
 
The EMA told CNN in a statement on Monday that Vaxzevria is only Covid-19 shot from AstraZeneca for which approval was requested -- leading to its authorization in the EU.

"In the EU, the vaccine called Covishield does not currently have a marketing authorization. Even though it may use an analogous production technology to Vaxzevria, Covishield as such is not currently approved under EU rules," the EMA said.

"This is because vaccines are biological products," the agency stated. "Even tiny differences in the manufacturing conditions can result in differences in the final product, and EU law therefore requires the manufacturing sites and production process to be assessed and approved as part of the authorization process."

The EMA statement added: "Should we receive a marketing authorization application for Covishield or should any change to the approved manufacturing sites for Vaxzevria be approved, we would communicate about it."

Entry to Europe not guaranteed

The fact that two doses of the Indian-produced AstraZeneca vaccine does not guarantee travelers entry to the EU means a huge part of the world is excluded from the bloc's current travel policy.

Covishield has been described as the "backbone" of COVAX contributions to low- and middle-income countries.
The AU and Africa CDC urged the EU Commission, in a joint statement on Monday, "to consider increasing mandatory access to those vaccines deemed suitable for global rollout through the EU-supported COVAX Facility."

"The current applicability guidelines put at risk the equitable treatment of persons having received their vaccines in countries profiting from the EU-supported COVAX Facility, including the majority of the African Union (AU) Member States," the joint statement said.