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AstraZeneca: Suspicion hangs over vaccination flights to Kofishield

AstraZeneca: Suspicion hangs over vaccination flights to Kofishield

The 113,000 Quebecers who received the CoveShield vaccine don’t know: Will their COVID-19 shot be recognized when it’s time to travel?

“I don’t seem to have an answer to such a simple question,” notes Pierre Drapeau, 54, who has made several calls to public health in recent days about the subject.

Like many, the 50-year-old received two doses of AstraZeneca’s Covishield vaccine in the spring, made in India by the Serum Institute.

Vaccination permit

But although its prescription is identical to that of AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria vaccine, Covishield is not among the vaccines authorized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to obtain a “Digital COVID Certification”.

This vaccine passport has been in effect since Thursday, making it possible to avoid quarantine when traveling across the European Union.

If it is also required of foreign travelers, it could become a real headache for Canadians who have been vaccinated with Covishield.

“I’m sure there are frequent travelers among them, and they may have surprises when they get to customs,” predicts Mr. Drapeau, of Sherbrooke.

in conversation

Meanwhile, Canada is in talks with other countries to ensure that its citizens’ vaccines are recognized abroad.

The Director of Public Health in Canada, Dr. “It is important to participate in international discussions, whether with the G7 or the United States, in order to get to a point where we accept each other’s data.”Return Theresa Tam June 17th.

For his part, said Drs Andre Villette, an expert in immunology, is confident that travelers vaccinated in Kofishield will eventually be accepted by the European Union.

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‘L'[Organisation mondiale de la santé] He has already approved this vaccine, so I think it’s a matter of time,” says the specialist.

The latter indicates that the manufacturer of Covishield simply did not apply to the EMA for a license, thus disqualifying it.

variable protection

In addition, the EMA concluded that two doses of Pfizer’s vaccines, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson appear to protect against the highly contagious delta variant, which has become prevalent worldwide.

Laboratory tests showed it was able to neutralize all the strains circulating in Europe, “very reassuring news” according to Marco Cavalieri, who is responsible for the vaccine strategy at the EMA.