9 EU nations accepting Covishield for travel: Sources

Medics of NMMC Covid Centre celebrate National Doctors Day in Navi Mumbai on Thursday. Pic/PTI

Nine European nations are accepting Covishield vaccines for travel to their countries, sources said on Thursday.

Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland and Spain are among the countries allowing travel by people who have taken Covishield vaccines, the sources said. They said Switzerland is also accepting Covishield as a Schengen state.

Separately, Estonia has confirmed that it will recognise all vaccines authorised by the government of India for the entry of Indians, the sources said.

India has already asked the EU member countries to individually consider allowing Indians who have taken Covishield and Covaxin vaccines and want to travel to Europe.

The European Union's Digital Covid certificate or "Green Pass" is coming into effect on Thursday with an aim to facilitate free movement during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Union foreign minister S Jaishankar had on Tuesday met Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and ‘Covishield' authorisation for travel to Europe.

Drug firm Zydus Cadila on Thursday said it has applied for emergency use authorisation with the Indian drug regulator for its three-dose Covid-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D for people aged 12 years and above. The firm said it plans to manufacture 10-12 crore doses annually.

Cases rise again

India saw a single day rise of 48,786 Coronavirus infections taking the total tally to 3,04,11,634, while the national recovery rate improved to 96.97 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry's data updated on Thursday morning. The death toll rose to 3,99,459 with 1,005 fresh fatalities.

Odisha, Assam report shortage of vaccines

Bhubaneswar/Guwahati: Officials in Odisha and Assam on Thursday said that there was a shortage of Covid-19 vaccines in their respective states. The Odisha government on Thursday halted vaccination drive in 16 districts due to "shortage" of Covishield doses, amid a rise in cases, an official said.

The state had a stock of only 19,520 Covishield doses and 3,24,910 Covaxin vials till Thursday morning, he said. The state is expecting a consignment of 6 lakh vials of the vaccine on Friday, he added.

Meanwhile, the BJP-led Assam government could vaccinate only 16.63 lakh people in the past 10 days, almost 45 per cent less than Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's target of inoculating 30 lakh people, due to a massive shortage of Covid-19 vaccines, a senior health official said on Thursday. The Health Department witnessed one of the lowest vaccination figures till now - 14,551 doses - on June 30.

Director, National Health Mission under the state Health Department, Lakshmanan S said, "Yesterday, we got 6 lakh Covishield doses. We distributed these to the districts. So, you will see the vaccination numbers rising again in the next three days. However, we do not have any idea when we will get the next supply in the coming 15 days."

3,04,11,634
Total no. of Coronavirus cases in India so far

3,99,459
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India so far

5,23,257
Total no. of active cases in India