Explained: Where is Covishield made and which countries have approved the vaccine?


Daniel Bardsley
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The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to combat Covid-19 has been taken by many millions of people worldwide.

Although the shot has been shown to be effective and safe in clinical trials, its place of manufacture can influence whether a country considers it valid for entry.

There’s no indication at all that the Indian-made AstraZeneca vaccine doesn’t work just as well as that made in Europe
Prof Paul Hunter,
University of East Anglia

The vaccine is known as Vaxzevria when made in Europe, but doses produced by Serum Institute of India carry the Covishield brand.

The European Medicines Agency has yet to approve Covishield. This has created hurdles for travellers wishing to visit many EU member states.

What is Covishield?

A health worker holds a vial of the Covishield Covid-19 vaccine at a temporary vaccine centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
A health worker holds a vial of the Covishield Covid-19 vaccine at a temporary vaccine centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Covishield is the same vaccine as that produced in Europe, except it is made by the SII, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer.

Like the European-made version of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, it consists of a harmless version of a type of virus called an adenovirus that normally infects chimpanzees.

This adenovirus has had genetic material from the coronavirus added to it. When the vaccine enters the human body, the recipient’s cells produce spike proteins like those of the coronavirus. This teaches the immune system to recognise them and respond should the individual subsequently be exposed to the virus.

Which organisations have approved Covishield?

India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation granted approval for some emergency use of Covishield in January.

The following month, the World Health Organisation gave emergency use authorisation for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, whether manufactured in Europe or in India. This includes SII-made doses.

Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) also approved the use of the Indian-made doses.

But the EMA – the EU’s regulator – has not, so some countries in the bloc do not accept vaccination with Indian-made vaccines for entry.

Last month it was reported that a British couple were prevented by their airline from travelling to Malta because they had received the Covishield vaccine rather than Vaxzevria.

The UK transport secretary, Grant Shapps, later tweeted that the Maltese had changed their travel advice to prevent similar incidents.

Why hasn’t the EMA approved the Indian-made doses?

Employees pack boxes containing vials of the Covid-19 vaccine at the Serum Institute of India.
Employees pack boxes containing vials of the Covid-19 vaccine at the Serum Institute of India.

The EMA’s failure to approve the SII as an alternative manufacturer of the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot appears to be simply a “licensing/bureaucratic issue”, said Prof David Taylor, professor emeritus of pharmaceutical and public health policy at University College London.

He said hurdles had arisen because of the speed at which Covid-19 vaccines have been developed and approved, and that there was no indication of safety concerns about the Indian vaccine.

“It’s all a function of it being an emergency situation. I wouldn’t blame anybody,” he said. “It’s quite right we worry about safety and we want things to be licensed by the [appropriate] licensing authority.”

Prof Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of East Anglia in the UK, said there was “no public health issue” with the Indian-manufactured doses.

“As far as I’m aware, there’s no indication at all that the Indian-made AstraZeneca vaccine doesn’t work just as well as that made in Europe,” he said.

He said that drugs from some countries might not be approved if counterfeiting was suspected, but that this was not a concern with the Indian-made vaccine.

What is the current situation for travel to and within Europe?

The EU's digital Covid certificate is used to prove vaccinated status while travelling within the bloc
The EU's digital Covid certificate is used to prove vaccinated status while travelling within the bloc

The EU has a Digital Covid Certificate for travel within the 27 EU nations and six other places – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and Vatican City.

The European Commission states that: “Member states will have to accept vaccination certificates for vaccines which received EU marketing authorisation.”

This means they are not obliged to accept the Indian-made shots, and participating nations are applying the same rules for visitors from outside Europe.

But the EC also says that member states “may decide” to accept other vaccines. About half of the countries that are part of the EU Digital Covid Certificate have approved the Indian-made Oxford-AstraZeneca shots.

Covishield is now accepted by, among others, Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Iceland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

But about a dozen European countries are waiting for the green light from the EMA, so Covishield-vaccinated visitors to Portugal, for example, may need to quarantine on arrival.

How to help

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

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The rules on fostering in the UAE

A foster couple or family must:

  • be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
  • not be younger than 25 years old
  • not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
  • be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
  • have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
  • undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
  • A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Race 3

Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars

Results

3pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,400m, Winner: Lancienegaboulevard, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Fawzi Nass (trainer).

3.35pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Turf) 1,600m, Winner: Al Mukhtar Star, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.

4.10pm: Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: Gundogdu, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.

4.45pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Speedy Move, Sean Kirrane, Satish Seemar.

5.20pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Moqarrar, Dane O’Neill, Erwan Charpy.

5.55pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Dolman, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

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Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier, in Bangkok

UAE fixtures Mon Nov 20, v China; Tue Nov 21, v Thailand; Thu Nov 23, v Nepal; Fri Nov 24, v Hong Kong; Sun Nov 26, v Malaysia; Mon Nov 27, Final

(The winners will progress to the Global Qualifier)

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sideup%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202019%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Waleed%20Rashed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cairo%2C%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20technology%2C%20e-commerce%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%241.2%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Launch%20Africa%20VC%2C%20500%20Global%2C%20Riyadh%20Angels%2C%20Alex%20Angels%2C%20Al%20Tuwaijri%20Fund%20and%20Saudi%20angel%20investor%20Faisal%20Al%20Abdulsalam%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

FA Cup quarter-final draw

The matches will be played across the weekend of 21 and 22 March

Sheffield United v Arsenal

Newcastle v Manchester City

Norwich v Derby/Manchester United

Leicester City v Chelsea

UAE%20athletes%20heading%20to%20Paris%202024
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEquestrian%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbdullah%20Humaid%20Al%20Muhairi%2C%20Abdullah%20Al%20Marri%2C%20Omar%20Al%20Marzooqi%2C%20Salem%20Al%20Suwaidi%2C%20and%20Ali%20Al%20Karbi%20(four%20to%20be%20selected).%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EJudo%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3EMen%3A%20Narmandakh%20Bayanmunkh%20(66kg)%2C%20Nugzari%20Tatalashvili%20(81kg)%2C%20Aram%20Grigorian%20(90kg)%2C%20Dzhafar%20Kostoev%20(100kg)%2C%20Magomedomar%20Magomedomarov%20(%2B100kg)%3B%20women's%20Khorloodoi%20Bishrelt%20(52kg).%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ECycling%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3ESafia%20Al%20Sayegh%20(women's%20road%20race).%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESwimming%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3EMen%3A%20Yousef%20Rashid%20Al%20Matroushi%20(100m%20freestyle)%3B%20women%3A%20Maha%20Abdullah%20Al%20Shehi%20(200m%20freestyle).%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAthletics%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3EMaryam%20Mohammed%20Al%20Farsi%20(women's%20100%20metres).%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Water waste

In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.

Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.

A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.

The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.

History's medical milestones

1799 - First small pox vaccine administered

1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery

1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases

1895 - Discovery of x-rays

1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time

1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin

1953 - Structure of DNA discovered

1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place 

1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill

1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.

1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out

Updated: June 23, 2023, 4:08 PM`