Which countries have banned the AstraZeneca Covishield Indian vaccine?
Millions of British holidaymakers could be shut out of European holidays because some AstraZeneca jabs are not automatically recognised by the EU vaccine passport scheme. Up to five million doses of the Indian-made vaccine have been administered in the UK, but Malta Tourism Authority guidance states that anyone with an Indian-made dose will be refused entry to the country. Heres everything you need to know. The UK is among many countries to have approved the so-called Covishield version of the AZ jab, made by the Serum Institute of India. It is chemically identical to the original AZ version. Up to five million doses have been administered in the UK so far. Covishield has not yet been authorised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), however, or the new EU digital Covid certificate vaccine passport scheme, which facilitates travel for EU member states. The EMA is yet to authorise the vaccine because Indian manufacturers have not sought a licence for its use in Europe. There is no suggestion at all that the vaccine is substandard. Passengers who are unsure if they have been issued with a Covishield version of the AZ jab can confirm this by checking the batch number of their vaccine. The three batches of the AZ jab manufactured in India are:  4120Z001  4120Z002  4120Z003  Batch numbers can be viewed by accessing your NHS app (not the Covid app you use to check in to venues) and clicking Get your NHS Covid Pass. This can also be used as a certificate for travel or vaccine passport. Your vaccine batch number should also have been written or stamped on the vaccine card you were issued with after receiving your first jab. These are the countries that accept the NHS app as proof of vaccination. Malta, France, Italy and Croatia have all said they will not permit travellers who have received the Covishield Indian AZ jab. The Daily Telegraph spoke to a couple who were preparing to travel to Malta to see their son for the first time in a year, only to be turned back at Manchester Airport at 3.30am on Friday. Steve Hardy, 63, told the newspaper: When we took our vaccine  we had a vaccine  we were asked to take them. We took both doses. We didnt know what we were getting. We trusted the government on that. Boris Johnson said that there were no Indian vaccines issued in this country. Thats obviously a lie because its on our page. The problem is the fact that we cant see our son. We jumped through the hoops... and then we were hit with this. Fifteen countries have now confirmed they will accept travellers who have received the Covishield jab. These include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Boris Johnson said he was very confident that the UKs use of India-produced vaccines would not impact UK holidaymakers at the beginning of July. More recently, transport secretary Grant Shapps said the UK government would tell Malta in the strongest possible terms that the Covishield AZ vaccines were effective. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said: It is not right and it shouldn't be happening. The medicines agency, the MHRA, have been very clear that it doesn't matter whether the AstraZeneca you have is made here or the Serum Institute in India  it is absolutely the same product, it provides exactly the same levels of protection from the virus. So we will certainly speak to our Maltese colleagues to point all this out. Obviously it is up to them what they do. But we will be making the scientific point in the strongest possible terms there is no difference, we don't recognise any difference.