Covishield In Austria: Accepted Or Not?

Covishield is a version of the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. Covishield was initially excluded from the EU's 'Green Pass' vaccine passport scheme, but it has since been accepted by several European countries for entry, including Austria.

Covishield is accepted for the EU Green Pass

As of July 2021, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, and Spain had confirmed accepting Covishield. Switzerland and Estonia have also allowed Covishield for entering their respective nations.

However, as of November 2021, Austria removed Covishield from its list of approved vaccines for entering public spaces such as restaurants, theatres, and cultural institutions. Those vaccinated with Covishield are allowed entry into the country but are restricted from accessing certain public spaces.

As of November 2024, Covishield is once again accepted for entry into Austria. Indian nationals travelling from India can enter Austria for holidays after staying 10 days in any safe country or by being double vaccinated with Covishield. Quarantine is no longer required for travellers vaccinated with Covishield.

It is important to note that entry requirements and restrictions may change over time. Therefore, it is recommended to check the official government websites and guidelines before planning any travel.

Covishield is recognised by Austria as valid proof of vaccination

Austria has tightened its entry rules due to the outbreak of the Omicron variant. However, Covishield is accepted to enter Austria and quarantine is no longer required. According to the Austrian government, "Covishield, Sinopharm and Sinovac are only accepted to enter Austria".

In its updated guidelines, the Austrian government noted that vaccines developed by AstraZeneca are approved for entry into public entertainment spaces and eateries. However, those vaccinated with Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, are not allowed to produce a negative RT-PCR report for entry into these places.

The EU Green Pass is valid from July 1, 2021. As of July 2021, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, and Spain have confirmed accepting Covishield. Switzerland also allows Covishield for the Schengen state. The Netherlands is the latest to join the list of countries that have recognised Covishield as a valid vaccination.

Austria's list of approved vaccines for entry

• Comirnaty/BNT162b2/Tozinameran (INN) from BioNTech/Pfizer
• ChAdOx1_nCoV-19/ChAdOx1-S/AZD1222/Vaxzevria/ COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca from AstraZeneca, and Covishield from Serum Institute of India
• COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen from Johnson & Johnson/Janssen Pharmaceuticals/Ad26.COV2.S Janssen (US + NL-Sites)
• Covid-19 Vaccine Moderna/mRNA-1273 from Moderna
• Sinopharm / BIBP (Beijing Bio-Institute of Biological Products Co-Ltd.) SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated (InCoV)
• Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine, SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated
• COVAXIN/BBV152 von Bharat Biotech International Ltd
• COVOVAX/NVX-CoV2373 von Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd
• NUVAXOVID/NVX-CoV2373 von Novavax CZ a.s.

Austria's list of approved vaccines for public spaces

Austria has implemented a "2-G-Rule" which requires all persons, including tourists, to present valid proof of vaccination or recovery to gain access to indoor areas such as bars, restaurants, and accommodation. This rule was implemented to halt the spread of COVID-19 and protect public health.

Austria currently recognizes all vaccination certificates that indicate full immunization with the four European Medicines Agency (EMA) -approved vaccines:

• Comirnaty (BioNTech, Pfizer)
• Moderna
• Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca, Oxford)
• Janssen (Johnson & Johnson)

Additionally, three other vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) are accepted as valid proof of immunity for travel:

• Sinopharm
• Sinovac
• Covishield

However, those vaccinated with Sinovac or Sinopharm are only permitted to enter the country and not to access certain public spaces like restaurants, theatres, museums, and bars.

Covishield is accepted in other European countries

Covishield is a vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India (SII) in cooperation with AstraZeneca. It has not been specifically mentioned in the European Union's list of approved vaccines, which has created confusion for Indians who have received the Covishield vaccine and want to travel to the EU. However, several European countries have accepted the Covishield vaccine for visitor entry.

Austria has recognised the Covishield vaccine. Germany's ambassador to India, Walter J. Lindner, confirmed that a double shot of Covishield is fully recognised by Germany as valid proof of anti-COVID vaccination. Slovenia has decided to permit travellers if at least 21 days have passed since receiving the first dose of the Covishield jab. Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Spain, Estonia, Switzerland, and the Netherlands have also put Covishield on their list of approved vaccines.

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