EU Commission Fiasco: Why exclude Any Approved Covid-19 Vaccines At all?

It was reported last week that the European Commission (EU) had excluded AstraZeneca produced in India and other Covishield vaccines from entry into Europe. This is disturbing and quite frankly disappointing. At this time when Health and Public Health professionals in most African countries are still having challenges in encouraging people to take the jabs, the EU decides to come out with policies like this.

The EU has created more doubts, fear, and anger among many people in various African countries because why should the type of vaccine I took matter? The Covid-19 vaccines which were donated to low-income countries especially in Africa through the COVAX initiatives are mostly Covishield and Chinese vaccines. Is the EU commission implying that the Covid-19 vaccines used in African countries are different from the ones made in developed countries? Because if that is the case then we have been scammed big time.

If not for the COVAX initiative most low-income countries will be without a single dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Most African countries are now experiencing the third wave and to come up with such statements is not helping anyone. This sends a wrong message and compromises all mass Covid-19 sensitization activities in various regions and communities in African countries.

As long as every traveler be it from whatever part of the world has been vaccinated with an approved Covid-19 vaccine, the type received should not matter. The World Health Organization, European Commission, and Food and Drug Administration should collaborate and come up with a synchronized standard for all Covid-19 vaccines recognized and approved.