As many as 96 countries have agreed to the Mutual Acceptance of Vaccination Certificates with India after the WHO’s approval of  the Covaxin COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday.

The Union Government continues to be in communication with the rest of the world so that beneficiaries of the world’s largest COVID vaccination program are accepted and recognised, thereby easing travel for education, business and tourism purposes, the minister said. 

“As many as 96 countries have recognised Covaxin and Covishield. You can see the list via the CoWIN app,” he explained.

The countries include USA, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Belgium, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Turkey, Switzerland, Russia, Ireland, Spain, Kuwait, Oman, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Brazil, Nepal, Iran and Egypt.

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Those who wish to travel abroad can download the international travel vaccination certificate from the CoWIN portal.

“Ministry of Health and Family Welfare along with the Ministry of External Affairs is in continuous communication with all countries for mutual recognition of vaccine certificates, and with the WHO for nationally approved vaccines to facilitate hassle-free international travel across countries,” a health ministry statement said.

Meanwhile, talking about the nation’s COVID vaccination drive, the Union Health Minister said: “Over 109 crore doses have been administered so far in the country. Under ‘Har ghar dastak’, healthcare workers are going to all houses to carry out the vaccination drive.