New Zealand adds Covishield, Covaxin to approved COVID-19 vaccine list

More good news has emerged for Indians who are planning to travel abroad as the COVID-19 pandemic has slowly subsided in parts of the world. In recent news, New Zealand has approved the COVID-19 vaccines curated in Indian its approved vaccine list.

Now, Indian travellers who have been vaccinated with the Covishield and Covaxin jabs, the two popular Indian COVID-19 vaccines, can now enter New Zealand without any hassles. The announcement for the same was made by Muktesh Pardeshi, India's high commissioner to New Zealand.

Making the announcement on Twitter Pardeshi said, “In a positive decision, NZ includes #covishield and #covaxin in the list of 8 recognised vaccines. We keenly await the lifting of travel restrictions. India is already open to vaccinated tourists.”

 

#IndiaNewZealand
In a positive decision, NZ includes #covishield and #covaxin in the list of 8 recognised vaccines. We keenly await lifting of travel restrictions. India is already open to vaccinated tourists.@MEAIndia @MFATNZ @DrSJaishankar @chrishipkins @AshBloomfield pic.twitter.com/2sU3uxksWC

— Muktesh Pardeshi (@MukteshPardeshi) November 17, 2021

 

This decision taken by the government of New Zealand allows all those who have been jabbed by both the doses of Covishield or Covaxin inside the island through international travel, without facing any quarantine period upon arrival.

Before this, Australia had also taken the decision to recognize both the Indian made vaccines on October 1 and November 1 this year. Indian also has mutual vaccine certificates with over 95 countries now, as announced by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Felicitating international travel across the country’s borders, the Indian government has also decided to welcome fully vaccinated foreign travellers inside the country, for the first time since March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic initially hit the country.

This rule got implemented in India on November 15 this year, which states that travellers from countries with which India has a mutual vaccine certificate will not have to undergo a COVID-19 test upon arrival. People from other countries will still have to undergo the test, as per the health ministry.