Lok Sabha Question No. 1957 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-30
Subject: Foreign Travel Restrictions for Covaxin Users
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Rajan Baburao  Vichare, Prasun Banerjee, N.K. Premachandran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED Q. No 1957 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30 th JULY, 2021

## FOREIGN TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FOR COVAXIN USERS

## 1957 SHRI RAJAN VICHARE : SHRI PRASUN BANERJEE : SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN :

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state

- ( a) The total number of COVID - 19 deaths that have occurred between January 2021 to May 2021 post vaccination, State/UT - wise;
- ( b) whether  the  World  Health  Organization  (WHO)  has  also  included  Covaxin  with Covishield in vaccination distribution programme, if so, the details thereof;
- ( c) whether  the  Government  has  noted  that  those  vaccinated  with  Covaxin  are  facin difficu lty due to non - approval of WHO and unable to go abroad or are banned to visit many  foreign  countries  for  employment  or  other  purposes  particularly  in  Europe countries, if so, the details thereof;
- ( d) whether the Government has approached the WHO in this regard; and
- ( e) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken/ interventions made by the Governm resolve the issue including travel ban through diplomatic interventions?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(DR. BH ARTI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) to (e): Till 26 th July 2021, causality assessment for 179 serious and severe AEFI cases h been approved by the National AEFI Committee of which only one death case from Maharashtr

was found to be associated with COVID 19 vaccine. This was a case of anaphylaxis which can occur with any medicinal product including vaccines and can be fatal.

Covaxin at present is not part of WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL) and is not ye included in the list of approved vaccines for the COVAX vaccine distribution programme. All documents required for Emergency Use Listing (EUL) have been submitted by Bharat Biotec International Ltd. (BBIL) to WHO as of 9 th July 2021. WHO will examine the technical data provided by BBIL for taking a final decision on the issue.

Due  to  COVID- 19  pandemic  normal  international  travel  services  remain  suspended. International air travel is taking place through special arrangements, including air b Vande  Bharat  Mission.  Such  travel  is  not  directly  linked  to  the  poss ession  of  vaccination certificates.  Further,  at  present,  there  is  no  multilateral  protocol  on  the  travel  of - 19 vaccinated  people.  Most  countries  require  a  negative  COVID - 19  test  report,  along  with compliance with country specific COVID protocols.

Whi le  there  have  been  multilateral  discussions,  including  under  the  framework International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), regarding COVID - 19 vaccination certificates, no multilateral arrangements in this regard have been reached so far.

India has be en part of ongoing discussion to ensure that Indian manufactured vaccines recognized  in  any  multilateral  arrangement.  India  is  also  engaging  with  countries  for recognition of vaccination certificates.