Re-vaccinate WHO-approved vaccines shots to Indian students traveling aboard.
WHO-approved vaccine shots are to be re-vaccinated to Indian students traveling to study abroad. Indian Students and agencies expect clarifications on vaccine claims in popular study destinations, especially about the India-developed Covaxin and Russia’s Sputnik V vaccines distributed across the country.
“We haven’t at this stage received any information from our institution partners concerning vaccination requirements for any of our study destinations.”
Students are advised by study abroad advisors to choose the WHO-recognized Oxford-AstraZeneca Covishield because it is recognized overseas.
In some cases, fully vaccinated students are excused from compulsory hotel quarantine, as is the case in Ireland.
Canada has recently suggested that from July, essential travelers fully vaccinated with AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer, and Moderna vaccine shots will face fewer quarantines. However, currently, authorities require vaccinated travelers who arrive need to quarantine.
The Director of Edwise International, Sushil Sukhwani, said, “Popular study destinations – USA, the UK, Ireland, Canada, Singapore, Germany have not instructed students to be vaccinated before landing.”
“These countries have declared a varying time span of quarantine.”
“What these countries have stated may be a varying span of quarantine required, for example the UK requires 10 days (since India being within the red zone) and Canada 14 days,” he said.
“For our students in India who pursue to study abroad within the following months, we’ve recommended that they consider the Astra-Zeneca (Covishield) vaccine for his or her studies,” Ankur Agarwal, AECC Global – India country director.
Agarwal said, “We haven’t at this step got any advice from our institution partners regarding vaccination demands for any of our study destinations.”
Developed by Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research, Covaxin and Sputnik V has not yet been acknowledged by the World Health Organization.
Current WHO travel advice advises that national authorities should not require proof of Covid-19 vaccination for international travel.
Sukhwani highlighted, “However, 400 US institutions have introduced mandatory vaccination to access campuses in fall 2021, motivating US-bound Indian students to require the vaccine before the visit to stay off quarantine.”
AstraZeneca Covishield has taken by the majority of Indian students. However, some have taken India’s Covaxin “primarily because the time gap between the 2 doses is lesser,” explained Ravi Lochan Singh, director of worldwide Reach – which recruits students from South Asia to round the world.
“It is these students who are trying to find a cloudless view.”
The India Government has said students who need to undertake foreign travel are eligible to possess their following dose of the Covishield vaccine within 28 days after their first jab, instead of waiting for the quality 12-16 weeks.
The WHO will help students aged 18-44 who could not access vaccines before May Day, Sukhwani said.
“Authorities will check if the span of 28 days has been given after the date of the first shot.
Therefore, the time of administration for the second shot should decrease to 84 days.
If the scholars have already begun studying at universities abroad and wish to undertake foreign travel for the aim of education,” he said.
“Students are expected to supply relevant travel documentation like Unconditional Offer Letters, any associated formal communication or Admission Confirmation report.”
In Addition, the Maharashtra government introduced extra vaccination centers that concentrate on students from May 28.
The NY Times has reported that an Indian student pursuing a master’s at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs had informed about re-vaccinating, despite taking two Covaxin doses.
Since the WHO has not yet finalized the reviewing process of Sputnik V or Covaxin vaccination, the risks of being re-vaccinated cannot be determined.
Stakeholders hope that WHO will recognize Covaxin and Sputnik V, and therefore the organization is thankful to have an are-evaluation discussion with Bharat Biotech in June at some point. However, pre-qualification or listing under the emergency use submissions to WHO are classified.
Sukhwani suggests that by the time students commence to travel, the possibilities of WHO recommending Sputnik and Covaxin as a vaccine are pretty feasible.
“If that’s not the case, universities should be ready to have a transparent medical examination before the students are re-vaccinated, since the vaccines in one’s system has not been medically proven to be safe or not,” he said.
However, the number of scholars in India who would have taken the Covaxin would be significantly less, he concluded.
Lochan Singh, another expert, expects WHO to expand the list of vaccines that it approves. For instance, on June 1, it recognized China’s Sinovac-CoronaVac Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use.
“This could occur within the following month,” he said. “If this occurs and therefore the named vaccines are included, then there’s just no problem. However if that does not happen in time for the scholar’s travel, it’s anticipated that such students may need to undertake the compulsory hotel quarantine for 10-14 days.”
With Indian authorities prioritizing outbound students with the Covishield vaccine, Lochan Singh is “quite confident that the scholars who need to study overseas and be ready to travel are going to be ready actively.”
“There are a high number of students travelling this year to the United Kingdom , Ireland, Canada and USA. I also believe that by the time Australia and New Zealand start accepting international arrivals, the concept of vaccine passports are going to be well-suited ,” he added.
“We hope to hear and clarify about the vaccine terms from all study destination countries.”
Despite not being necessary for travel, students like being vaccinated before travel, Sukhwani concluded.
“Those getting to UK and Canada will presently get the advantage of comfort before travel but perhaps the institutions or government will consider waiving the mandatory quarantine for college youngsters on entry thus saving about £1,750 in UK and around $2000 in Canada.”
“We hope to hear and clarify from all study destination countries on their vaccine terms for international students. To scale back the near uncertainty for college youngsters and our institutional associates globally,” Daryl Fong, chief operating officer at AECC Global, added.
“Governments have to let students know what the vaccine requirements are in their study destination countries, so students can enroll confidently within the coming months.”
