Jabs Dad could be denied French trip due to batch
AFATHER is concerned he could be denied entry to France because of a technicality over the coronavirus jab he received.
Pete Watkin from Bristol is hoping to travel to the country next week with his wife, four children and three dogs.
However, the architect has doubts he will be allowed to enter France – because he received a batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine that is not recognised by the EU’s ‘Covid passport’ scheme.
It has been reported that up to five million people could be prevented from travelling abroad, as the EU Digital Covid-19 Certificate will not recognise certain Indian-made AZ batch numbers.
The batch numbers for the Indian manufactured doses are 4120Z001, 4120Z002 and 4120Z003, the latter of which was the one Mr Watkin received.
Despite reports of travellers being turned away from a flight to Malta last week for that reason, the Department of Health and Social Care said it was not aware of any advice from the European Medicines Agency or the EU not to accept these batches of vaccines.
It is believed thousands of people were given doses from the batches involved at the Ashton Gate vaccination centre earlier this year.
It said all AstraZeneca vaccines given in the UK are the same product and appear on the NHS Covid Pass as Vaxzevria, adding that the European Medicines Agency has authorised this vaccine and it is confident travel will not be affected.
However, Mr Watkin remains unconvinced given recent reports to the contrary.
The Visit Malta tourism website states: “Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health has confirmed that the AstraZeneca vaccine from the batch numbers 4120Z001, 4120Z002 and 412Z003, also known as Covishield, will not be an accepted proof of vaccination for entry to Malta.
“He said that this is in line with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) advice which Malta’s Ministry of Health adheres to, adding that guidance will be revised periodically in line with the EMA.”
Information translated from the French government’s website advises travellers: “The vaccines accepted by France are those recognised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA): Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.”
There is therefore still some confusion about the batch Mr Watkin received.
The dad of four said his family’s plan was to travel next Wednesday via the Eurotunnel, but that he doesn’t know if he will be allowed to board the train when they check his pass and see the jab’s batch number, even though the product name is listed as ‘Vaxzevria’ and not ‘Covishield.’
Mr Watkin, from Redland, said: “I have spoken to a few friends who didn’t even know that this was a concern.
“It is the UK government that I have an issue with.
“I know the vaccination programme is about protecting you from Covid, but it is also about travelling and I feel like I am being limited to England.
“If I had been told when I had the vaccine that this problem would arise, I wouldn’t have had that vaccine [batch].
“I would have waited a bit longer and had a different one.”
The 56-year-old called for more transparency, adding: “They should have told us that these vaccines were brought in from India and were not accepted in all countries.
“I feel disappointed that I was not informed when I turned up for the vaccine, I feel that I was not given the full picture.”
Mr Watkin said his hope is that they will not check the batch number, but he still has concerns about potentially being turned away.
He said one of his friends is in the same situation, and he encouraged people who got vaccinated at Ashton Gate in March to check their batch numbers.
If he is not allowed into France, he said his family would lose out on more than £600 already paid for coronavirus tests and their three dogs’ travel health certificates.
The family’s plan was to stay in their second home near Bordeaux until the end of August.
He said: “As it stands, you have to be fully vaccinated to enter France. If you are not fully vaccinated, which they would consider me to be, I would have to fill a form where I would need to give a compelling reason to enter France such as selling a house or going to a funeral.
“I would not be able to tick any of the boxes so they would turn me away at the border.”