Immunised but banned: EU says not all Covid-19 vaccines equal

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Millions of people who have been vaccinated through a UN-backed effort still face a bar to enter many European and other countries because those nations don’t recognise the version of vaccines being produced by some countries like India, AP reports.

AstraZeneca vaccine produced in Europe has been authorised by the continent’s drug regulatory agency, the same shot manufactured in India hasn’t been given the green light.

EU regulators said AstraZeneca hasn’t completed the necessary paperwork on the Indian factory, including details on its production practices and quality control standards.

However, some experts describe the EU move as discriminatory and unscientific, pointing out that the World Health Organisation has inspected and approved the factory. Health officials say the situation won’t only complicate travel and frustrate fragile economies but also undermine vaccine confidence by appearing to label some shots substandard.

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