The French government announced today that it will not allow travelers who have already received some of the Chinese COVID-19 vaccines not authorized by the European Union to enter the country.
This measure comes on the eve of the European health pass coming into effect, which will allow travelers who meet the following requirements to move around the European Union: undergo a PCR test and test negative, have been vaccinated with all sufficient doses, or be immune from having contracted the disease.
European Union countries, however, will be able to make their own decisions regarding the vaccines of people entering the country. In the case of France, the government has been clear; through Secretary of State Clément Beaune, it was explained that only vaccines accepted by the European Medicines Agency will be recognized.
"It is not possible to travel to France with a vaccine that we are not sure will protect us," Beaune said.
So far, four vaccines have been accepted by the European agency: Moderna, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson. Therefore, people who have two doses of Sinovac or Sputnik V will be excluded, which affects citizens of several Latin American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, and Chile.
In contrast, countries like Spain will accept vaccines approved by both the European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization itself. In practice, this means that those with two doses of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine will be able to enter the Iberian country without problems.
