Covishield is now recognised by 15 European countries for travel 'green pass'

Recognition from the EU will help people avail the EU Digital Covid Certificate or 'Green Pass', with an aim to facilitate free movement during the Covid-19 pandemic

Belgium has become the latest European country to recognise the Covishield vaccine, which was developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca and is being produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII).

"Belgium recognises Covishield, the Astra Zeneca vaccine produced by Serum Institute of India and distributed by COVAX. An important decision for India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh in the fight against vaccine inequality," the embassy of Belgium in India said on Friday.

Charge d'affaires of Belgium embassy, Arnaud Lion said that recognition of Covishield by his country will have a positive impact for everyone getting the vaccine shot in India and abroad.

"On 7 July, the inter-ministerial conference in Belgium decided to recognize the Covishield vaccination, which will have a positive impact I hope for everyone in India and outside India being vaccinated with Covishield," Lion was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

With this, a total of 15 countries in the EU have confirmed that they will allow travellers from India who have taken the Covishield shots to enter their territory.

This was also pointed out by World Health Organisation (WHO) chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan.

"15 countries in EU now recognise Covishield for travellers," she wrote on Twitter.