COVID-19: No Cause for Alarm over Rejection of Travel Certificate by EU, Says FG

Onyebuchi Ezigbo

The federal government yesterday addressed the fears of Nigerian travellers to European countries over possible refusal of entry due to the non-validation of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine produced in India.

The government said there was nothing to worry about, as the issue was already being sorted out.

The Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, gave the assurance during a media briefing in Abuja yesterday.

Speaking on the decision of the European Union health authorities not to recognise the COVID-19 travel certificate obtained by those administered with AstraZeneca vaccine produced in India, Shuaib said it was a normal procedure to subject every COVID-19 vaccine to the approving mechanism of relevant health authorities.

According to Shuaib, “The EU actually said they are not going to accept the travel certificate from the AstraZeneca vaccine produced in India, however, that was a temporary release because there are different validation processes that are used for different vaccines, just like NAFDAC has had to list the COVID-19 vaccine from India; the Coveshield, the Johnson and Johnson, and Pfizer Biotech vaccines.

“Even if it is the same vaccine, as far as it is not produced in the same facility, it has to go through the same process.

“So the EU is not banning permanently or failing to recognise the AstraZeneca from India, it is just that the Indian authorities have to go through that process to get approved. So it is nothing to worry about.”

The executive director of the agency also stated that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has cleared the air that there is no inferiority in terms of the quality of vaccination.

“I am sure that in the next few days, we will read that the EU will accept travel certificate from those countries that have used Coveshield or Oxford AstraZeneca from India,” he added.

On his part, WHO Country Representative, Mr. Walter Molumbo, said WHO does not support the use of vaccine certificate as prerequisite for travel.

He said there was still a significant divide in the availability of vaccines between the wealthy nations and poor nations; hence, the use of vaccine certificates is not ideal.

Molumbo said: “WHO is updating its recommendations; we will not recommend making proof of COVID-19 vaccination a mandatory provision to enter or visit any country.

“Under the provisions of the international health regulations, vaccine would have to be approved by WHO, and be universally available before it can be considered as a prerequisite for travel.

“No region or country should face restrictions because they are unable to get vaccines.”

The WHO scribe reiterated that all vaccines that have so far received emergency approval are effective in giving protection.

While giving update on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Shuaib said: “As I speak, 2,495,632 people have been vaccinated with the first dose, while 1,370,130 have received their second dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria. Overall, Nigeria has successfully utilised 3.9million doses, representing 96 percent of the 4,024,000 doses of the vaccines received in the country.

“Nigeria is poised to achieve 100 percent utilisation of the doses of vaccine it has received in the next few days. This is to ensure that the people are protected against COVID-19, and normalcy is restored.”