Schengen Area countries opening their borders for international travellers, many of them have decided to keep rules regarding the type of vaccine travellers have been vaccinated with against COVID-19.
With the majority of European Union and Schengen Area countries opening their borders for international travellers, many of them have decided to keep rules regarding the type of vaccine travellers have been vaccinated with against COVID-19.
At present, all European countries recognise proof of vaccination if the process has been completed by taking one of the vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) – Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson.
Nonetheless, the case is not the same for travelers who have been vaccinated with one of the vaccines under World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Use Listing, such as the Sinovac vaccine.
Sinovac is a Chinese-made vaccine, which was validated for emergency use by WHO back on June 1. After its validation, WHO assured countries, communities, and funders that the vaccine meets all international safety, efficacy, and manufacturing standards.
“SAGE has thoroughly assessed the data on quality, safety and efficacy of the vaccine and has recommended its use for people aged 18 and above,” WHO’s statement reads.
According to a new tool developed by VisaGuide.World, which enables travellers to check the validity of their vaccine when travelling abroad, the following EU/Schengen Area countries accept Sinovac as valid proof of immunity:
- Finland
- Greece
- Iceland
- Netherlands
- Spain
- Switzerland
In a press release issued by Finland’s Institute for Health and Welfare, it has been said that all persons immunized with a vaccine approved by EMA and WHO are considered fully vaccinated when entering the country. Consequently, this means that those who have been immunized with the Sinovac vaccine are not subject to quarantine requirements.
Similarly, the Icelandic Directorate of Health has announced that the country allows restriction-free entry to all persons who have been vaccinated with one of the eight vaccines approved by the country. Sinovac is part of the approved vaccines.
In order to facilitate travel and allow free movement, the Swiss authorities have also announced that Sinovac is approved by the country. Except for Sinovac, Switzerland recognises six other vaccines.
Apart from the countries mentioned above, the Netherlands authorities revealed that the country accepts a vaccination certificate that indicates that the holder has been immunised with the Sinovac vaccine, or any other approved jab, as long as the document is issued in one of the accepted languages and includes all the necessary information.
In the meantime, five other countries located on the continent of Europe also accept the Sinovac vaccine as valid proof of immunity for travel. These countries are:
- Albania
- Armenia
- Georgia
- Macedonia
- Serbia
Originally Published By Schengen visa info