The Government of Australia has recognised Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.
This recognition from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) of the Department of Health will enable travellers fully vaccinated with Covaxin to travel to the country.
With Monday’s announcement, Australia has become the first major economy to grant recognition to both the India manufactured vaccines - Covishield and Covaxin.
An announcement from the TGA said the recognition was for travellers aged 12 and over.
“In recent weeks, the TGA has obtained additional information demonstrating these vaccines provide protection and potentially reduce the likelihood that an incoming traveller would transmit COVID-19 infection to other while in Australia or become acutely unwell due to COVID-19,” declared the announcement. It stated that the relevant information regarding the vaccine was provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the vaccine sponsors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised the delay in approval of Covaxin by the WHO at the just concluded G20 summit in Rome. India stated WHO recognition would help the Indian manufacturers to export vaccines across the world.
The announcement noted that anyone who had received two doses of a TGA-recognised vaccine “at least 14 days apart is regarded as fully vaccinated from 7 days after the second dose”. Travellers with two doses of the same vaccine or two doses of two different vaccines (heterologous) too would be considered fully vaccinated seven days after the second dose.
Recognition for Chinese vaccine
Monday’s announcement also covered BBIBP-CorV, manufactured by Sinopharm of China. Recognition of the Indian and Chinese manufactured vaccines are a new step in the direction of gradual reopening of Australia to global tourist flow. This will also help Indian students to return to Australia. Foreign Minister Marise Payne, during her latest visit to Delhi, committed that Canberra will open up in phases and that she herself will be present at the airport to receive Indian students when they return to the Australian campuses.
Australia had stopped receiving incoming tourists and travellers following the outbreak of the COVID-19 even though it operated flights evacuating nationals from partner countries like India.
