Covid-19: London refuses to recognize Indian vaccination, New Delhi protests

Vaccination with a dose of Covishield against Covid-19 in a temporary vaccination center in a school in Bombay, India, September 18, 2021. AFP - SUJIT JAISWAL

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1 min

The tea towel burns between the United Kingdom and India.

In question, the new quarantine policy put in place by London, which does not recognize the vaccination of Indians.

However, most of them received the same serum as that used in the United Kingdom.

New Delhi speaks of serious discrimination and threatens to apply the same restrictions.

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With our correspondent in New Delhi,

Sébastien Farcis

From October 4, the UK will exempt some travelers from the tedious 10-day quarantine upon arrival on British soil, if they are vaccinated against Covid-19.

But Indians are excluded from this favor, even if they have received the vaccine developed by the English company AstraZeneca, called in India the Covishield, and administered to 87% of those vaccinated.

The outrage is great, with many Indian politicians talking about racism.

New Delhi strongly denounces this decision.

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To read also: Covid-19: ten million people vaccinated in one day in India

Vaccination carried out in an unrecognized Indian center

Covishield is a vaccine manufactured in India under license from an English company,"

insists Harsh Shringla, Indian Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. 

And we even made 5 million of these vaccines for the UK government, which used it in their healthcare system.

So the non-recognition of the Indian Covishield is discriminatory.

 "

India is threatening to apply reciprocity and force British travelers to undergo a quarantine when they arrive in the country.

London has partially reacted to these objections: the Covishield vaccine is maintained recognized, but not if the vaccination was carried out in an Indian center.

The exclusion therefore remains.

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To read also: France recognizes the Covishield vaccine, relief for Indians and many Africans

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