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For Written Answer on : 05/05/2021
Question Number(s): 556 Question Reference(s): 22799/21
Department: Health
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
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QUESTION


To ask the Minister for Health the situation with regard to mandatory hotel quarantine regarding persons and in particular Irish citizens who intend to travel to Ireland and who are fully vaccinated with versions of a vaccine (details supplied) that are manufactured under licence by other companies which are not currently approved by the European Medicines Agency; if he has requested or will request the European Medicines Agency to consider approving such vaccines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. (Details Supplied) D/s: the AstraZeneca vaccine

REPLY


I have been given to understand that the vaccine known as Covishield gives equivalent protection to the version known as Oxford-AstraZeneca or Vaxzevria, as approved by the EMA.  I have therefore asked that individuals vaccinated with Covishield be treated in the same way as those vaccinated with Oxford-AstraZeneca/Vaxzevria for the purposes of mandatory hotel quarantine.