After WHO nod, travellers vaccinated with Covaxin allowed to enter US from Nov 8

The United States has updated its list of approved vaccines and given green light to those who have been inoculated with Covaxin to enter the country. The revised rules will come into effect from November 8, when the US opens its borders to vaccinated foreign travellers.

"CDC's travel guidance applies to FDA approved or authorized and WHO Emergency Use Listing vaccines and encompasses any new vaccines that may be added to either of those lists over time," US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) press officer Scott Pauley told news agency ANI.

The CDC had on Wednesday acknowledged the WHO's granting of emergency use listing (EUL) to India's indigenous vaccine, which has been developed by Bharat Biotech.

“WHO has granted emergency use listing (EUL) to #COVAXIN® (developed by Bharat Biotech), adding to a growing portfolio of vaccines validated by WHO for the prevention of #COVID19,” the global health body said in a tweet.

The approval, which comes after a long wait, will allow for a larger recognition of Covaxin by other countries to allow Indian travellers who have taken the dose to qualify for exemptions that countries offer to those vaccinated.

Covaxin has a 78 per cent efficacy rate against Covid-19 and is "extremely suitable" for low- and middle-income countries because it is easy to store, according to WHO.

The vaccine was co-developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which comes under the Union health ministry.

The new US travel rules will also accept travellers fully vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Oxford-AstraZeneca, Covishield, Sinopharm and Sinovac.