Policy Alert #238 | October 15, 2021
Vaccination rates worldwide have shot up, but what about travel to and from rising powers?
Many countries have decided to open their borders and permit international travel for those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. However, every country has the right to decide its own rules related to the types of vaccines it allows for travel, leading to travel woes. Among the rising powers, China, India, and Russia are all vaccine producers. But there is no reciprocity in vaccine acceptance between countries that produce them. Moreover, changes to travel regulations have caused disputes between some countries, as in the case of India and the U.K., when India initially failed to make the list for Britain’s most recent easing of travel restrictions.
As for the U.S., on September 20, the White House announced new rules to take effect in early November, saying it would lift restrictions on air travelers from 33 countries, including China, India, and most of Europe, if they show proof of vaccination. This long-awaited announcement raises the question as to which vaccines will be accepted. According to a CDC spokesperson, foreign tourists vaccinated with a drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or listed for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO) will meet the criteria. This includes Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer-BioNTech, the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Indian-made Covishield, and China’s Sinopharm and Sinovac. Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine is not currently on the accepted list, meaning that most Russians and others inoculated with Sputnik V may be prohibited from entering the U.S. The CDC will release additional guidance as travel requirements are finalized.
This is a fast-changing situation as countries are continuously updating their travel regulations.
What is the current travel scenario for rising powers’ citizens or visitors?
China
The Sinopharm vaccine, developed in China and shared mostly with developing nations, received emergency approval by the WHO in May. Sinopharm has been approved for travel by 71 countries. The Chinese Sinovac vaccine is now recognized by 50 countries. Notably, not as many European countries accept Sinopharm compared to India’s Covishield. India, Russia, and Japan all do not accept Chinese vaccines, nor does China accept vaccines made by India or Russia.
The Chinese embassy in the U.S. confirmed in April that travelers vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson would be eligible to enter China. Entry depends on having received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines at least 14 days prior to entry, and all travelers must present two negative tests, PCR and antibody tests, taken within 48 hours of travel. However, things can change fast in China, and regional lockdowns have been imposed every time there are new outbreaks of the virus.
- Regarding the lower amount of protection that Chinese vaccines offer, Gao Fu, China’s top disease control official, claimed in a rare acknowledgment, “we will solve the issue that current vaccines don’t have very high protection rates.” However, Gao later conveyed he was misunderstood and merely talking in general terms about improving vaccine efficacy.
- Just this week, the WHO confirmed that its Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) recommended that anyone over 60 years old receiving the Sinopharm or Sinovac should be offered an extra dose, citing gaps in the data about the efficacy of the Chinese vaccines in people over 60.
- The Chinese Consulate General in New York in May issued a notice that several U.S. universities, including Harvard and Columbia, have recognized China’s Sinopharm following the approval of the vaccine’s emergency use by the WHO.
India
There are currently 63 countries that accept the Indian-made Covishield vaccine, which is the United Kingdom’s AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured in India. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) does not recognize versions of the AstraZeneca vaccine that were made in India, but several EU countries recognize vaccines that are part of the WHO emergency use listing. The three vaccines that are most recognized in EU countries after the EMA ones are Covishield, Sinopharm, and Sinovac. Of these three, Covishield is most widely recognized within EU countries, such as France and Germany, although they do not accept India’s other widely used vaccine, Covaxin, which has not been approved by the WHO yet.
While the Indians recognize the Russian-made vaccine, there is no reciprocity as the Russians don’t recognize the Indian-made ones, and neither do China or Japan.
Initially, the U.K. did not recognize Covishield, instead requiring Indians to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival in Britain, even though Covishield was developed by AstraZeneca and identical to the doses given to Britons. This set off a firestorm of protests in India, which ironically has been the world’s largest vaccine-producer. In a retaliatory measure, India required British visitors to quarantine regardless of their vaccination status. Days later, the U.K. changed its foreign travel guidance to clarify that Covishield is an approved jab.
- The U.K.’s initial refusal to recognize Covishield was labeled as discriminatory by prominent Indians, such as Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh, who tweeted: “Absolutely bizarre considering Covishield was originally developed in the U.K. and the Serum Institute has supplied to that country too! This smacks of racism.”
- After the UK’s decision to retract its mandatory quarantine for Indian visitors to the U.K. after India’s reciprocal measures, India journalist Kanchan Gupta noted in a tweet, “standing up to Britain worked.”
- On October 11, Indian Prime Minister Modi and British Prime Minister Johnson held a telephone conversation four days after the U.K.’s decision to reverse its regulations on Covishield. Although the U.K. statement mentioned resolving the vaccine question, Modi’s tweet omits any reference to vaccines.
Russia
Russia’s Sputnik V has been recognized by 73 countries as valid proof of vaccination for travel. The Sputnik V vaccine, which Moscow has proudly proclaimed as the first coronavirus vaccine to be registered for use, hasn’t yet been approved by the EMA or WHO, meaning that the majority of the European countries do not accept the vaccine as valid proof of immunity. Moscow had applied for the WHO’s approval back in February, but the global health agency suspended its review process, citing concerns over manufacturing practices and production inside Russia. India is among the countries that permit entry to travelers with Sputnik V, although China and Japan are not.
The United States’ new travel guidelines set to take effect in November exclude those who received Russia’s Sputnik V. This not only affect Russians, but some 448 million Sputnik V doses that have been purchased worldwide, with many going to low-income nations. The Russian Embassy in Washington declined to comment on the new U.S. policy.
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pushed for mutual recognition by countries of COVID-19 vaccines approved by other states, stating at the UN General Assembly on September 25, “We support mutual recognition of vaccines approved by national oversight bodies, in the interests of lifting restrictions on international travel of citizens as soon as possible.”
- According to Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Moscow Center, though Sputnik V appeared to provide stronger protection than China-backed vaccines, Russia’s role as a vaccine exporter had been severely limited by production issues and China had emerged as a more reliable partner.
