If you have taken India’s Covaxin and plan to travel to the US for higher education, then you might need to think again. Many colleges in the USA have ordered their students who took India’s Covaxin or Russia’s Sputnik V, to get re-vaccinated since they are not approved by the World Health Organization (WHO). This news comes after there are already concerns that Indians who got Covaxin may not be able to travel abroad. Corporate executives and students who had taken the Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin jab are facing restrictions while travelling abroad.
As Covaxin is not WHO approved, many nations are considering even those who have taken both its doses as unvaccinated. Countries like the UK, the US and Saudi Arabia are telling Covaxin jabbed travellers to undergo long quarantine procedures until they receive a WHO-approved vaccine shot.
Students Who Took Covaxin Or Sputnik V Must Get Re-Vaccinated To Attend US College
Over 400 colleges and universities in the US since March have announced students to get Covid-19 vaccinations before the August semester commences. Now, unfortunately, Indians who got the indigenous Covaxin or other students who got the Russian-made Sputnik V are being asked to re-vaccinate. This is being done as both these vaccines are not yet approved by the World Health Organisation. The New York Times reports in an article that Milloni Doshi, a 25-year-old student from India took two doses of Covaxin. She got the jabs before she began her master’s degree at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. But now the college has urged her to get re-vaccinated with a different vaccine before she arrives on campus. Doshi took a messaging app to convey that she is worried about taking two different vaccines.
Also Read: Is Sputnik V Approved For International Travel? Everything You Need To Know
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Safety Concerns Exist When It Comes To Taking 2 Different Vaccines
College campuses in the USA are proposing students who received a Covid jab not approved by WHO like Sputnik V or Covaxin, be revaccinated. This rule poses both medical and logistical concerns. There isn’t sufficient data that inform you if it’s safe to take vaccines from different companies. Kristen Nordlund, spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that the safety and effectiveness of getting two different Covid vaccines are not yet studied. Moreover, the Covid-19 vaccines are not interchangeable either. Nordlund suggests that people who are already received vaccines not approved by WHO must wait for a minimum of 28 days before taking the first dose of the FDA sanctioned vaccines.
Also Read: Despite COVID Variant Concern, Thousands Of People Are Flying Into UK From India Daily
While Indians have access to Covaxin and Covishield in the country, American students can take Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccines. This differentiation when it comes to vaccines will hinder the ability of US colleges to retain international students. Meanwhile, did you know that the USA has gone mask-free? Well, here are other countries that won the battle against the pandemic.