Europe is starting to introduce its Digital COVID certificate, evidence of the COVID-19 vaccination program that could one day allow double-dose Canadians to drink wine in a French vineyard without having to abide by current regulations related to the pandemic.
There is only one problem: not all are legal in Canada Covid-19 vaccinations are currently recognized by the program.
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Canada has approved the same vaccines as the European Union: Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), the latter of which has not yet been marketed.
However, while Canada has distributed both the European-made version of the AstraZeneca jab and its Indian-made counterpart – known as Covishield – Brussels only approved the European-made version.
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That means Canadians who have received at least one dose of the Covishield vaccine may face a roadblock when attempting to book a trip to the EU if Europe’s internal passport program is expanded to include international travelers.
“In my opinion, the two vaccines AstraZeneca makes, European Union and India, are biologically identical,” said Kerry Bowman, professor of bioethics and global health at the University of Toronto.
“So we have a bureaucratic situation here that could well stand in the way of people’s freedom of travel.”
In Canada, 1.6 million people have received a European-made version of AstraZeneca, according to the Government figures. But another 272,000 people have received at least one dose of the Covishield vaccine – and the future of their potential EU travel plans is pending.
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“This is one of the big problems with vaccine passports that we don’t have great global infrastructure for how these things are handled – and therefore decisions are made in different places,” Bowman said.
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Part of the problem comes from AstraZeneca itself, according to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The company has not actually requested the European regulator to approve its Covishield syringe.
“Should we receive an application for approval for Covishield or should a change in the approved manufacturing facilities for (AstraZeneca’s vaccine) be approved, we would communicate it,” an EMA spokesman said in an email to Global News.
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Given that the EU has already approved the European-made jab, experts say they are unlikely to reject the Indian-made version. This is because there are no significant differences between AstraZeneca vaccines made in Europe and Indian made vaccines.
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“You have to go through this very strict quality control process where you are sure that the same process has been used and that the vaccine you have at the end of your process is as good as the one that came from another facility,” said Dr . Joanne Langley, vaccine researcher at the Canadian Center for Vaccinology.
“When you are certain that all quality control processes are in place, and that you are using the same methods and raw materials, you should think that it should be just as effective from one plant to another.”
And while the current digital COVID certificate in the EU only applies to domestic travel, the door remains open for member states to exercise some degree of autonomy when it comes to who they allow within their borders.
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EU countries “could accept vaccination certificates from non-EU countries”, according to an EU spokesman, provided the certificates contain the required minimum data and can be properly checked.
But until this Covishield oversight is resolved, not only Canadians might stumble upon this bureaucratic hurdle for European travel.
Millions of people around the world have received the Covishield vaccine, particularly in India, where indigenous vaccination has so far played a huge role in the country’s vaccination efforts.
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The head of the Indian Serum Institute fired a tweet on Monday promising to address the issue.
“I realize that many Indians who have taken COVISHIELD have problems traveling to the EU.” wrote Adar Poonawalla.
“I assure everyone that I have taken this up at the highest level and I hope to resolve this matter soon, both with the regulators and at the diplomatic level with the countries.”
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Covishield’s current banning is also having a disproportionate impact on countries with fewer resources available, as the vaccine-sharing program COVAX has distributed millions of AstraZeneca doses – many of them under the Covishield brand.
“In my opinion, this protectionism is only harmful in the long term,” said Dr. Anna Banerji, Infectious Disease and Global Health Specialist at the University of Toronto.
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“Through the COVAX program, it is targeting countries that may be resource poor.”
She said that when countries like the United States restrict their border openings to those vaccinated with their approved vaccines – that is, the Pfizer, Moderna and Janssen jabs – that “excludes much of the rest of the world.”
“That doesn’t make much sense when you’re trying to open the borders,” said Banerji.
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As cracks emerge in vaccination record strategies, the Canadian government says a concerted global effort is underway to ensure that vaccination record rules make sense in an international context.
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He said these certifications are likely to be available “this fall”.
These talks are not only going on with the provinces. According to the Canadian health authority PHAC, they also take place on an international level.
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“Evidence of vaccination cards is a potential tool that could be used to help reopen societies and economies,” said Tammy Jarbeau, a PHAC spokeswoman.
“Canada participates in the international dialogue on this issue, particularly at the World Health Organization and through the G7.”
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The patchwork of vaccine approvals around the world has made these discussions even more important, according to Canada’s top doctor.
“Each country has different vaccines approved,” said Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer, on June 17th.
“You are all making different political decisions at the moment. So I think it’s important to get into international discussions. “
As of now, Tam said, Canada is “in the early days of travel resumption (taking into account a person’s vaccination status).
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“I think each of us will do our best to see what can be achieved in the international discussions,” she said.
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