England to recognise all WHO-approved vaccines from 22 November

‘Someone vaccinated in Egypt will be treated the same as someone in Evesham’ says Which? Travel editor

Phials of China’s Sinopharm vaccine (MTVA - Media Service Support and Asset Management Fund)

The UK government has announced that all vaccines on the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing will be recognised from 4am on 22 November.

This will extend England’s list of approved vaccines to include Sinovac, Sinopharm Beijing and Covaxin on top of the dozens of vaccines already recognised.

The change does not affect the number of countries and territories whose health system is regarded as good enough for its vaccines to be recognised. That remains at 135.

But people who have jabs in those nations that are not recognised by the UK’s MRHA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) – such as the Chinese vaccines – will now avoid quarantine and are able to take just one “day two” antigen test after arrival.

The rule change initially applies to England, with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland able to decide separately whether to follow suit and recognise the additional vaccines.

An announcement on the UK.gov website reads: “From 4am on Monday 22 November, the government will recognise vaccines on the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing (WHO EUL). As a result, Sinovac, Sinopharm Beijing and Covaxin will be added to our list of approved vaccines for inbound travel.”

Which? Travel editor Rory Boland applauded the decision, tweeting: “Good news for families, travellers and common sense alike coming from government - England is going to recognise all WHO listed vaccines for entry.

That means no pre departure test or self-isolation. Someone vaccinated in Egypt will be treated the same as someone in Evesham.”

The government also announced that, from the same date, it will be treating all under-18s travelling to England from abroad as fully vaccinated, meaning they do not have to self-isolate and may just take the one “day two” test after arrival.

The UK follows the US in acknowledging all vaccines on the WHO’s approved list - the latter, which opened to double jabbed foreign nationals from 12.01 AM yesterday, is also accepting any traveller who has had a full course of one of the vaccines on that list.

The move reassured many British travellers concerned about the validity of UK’s AstraZeneca vaccine, which has still not been approved by the US’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said, “As we continue to recover from the pandemic and expand our recognition of international vaccines, today’s announcements mark the next step in our restart of international travel.

“By also simplifying the rules for international travel for all under-18s coming to England, we’re bringing further good news for families looking to unite with loved ones, and another great boost for the travel sector.”