Travellers await OK on Aussie AstraZeneca shots

Federal health authorities are working urgently to ensure people going overseas who are vaccinated with AstraZeneca do not have to quarantine on arrival.

Some European nations and the US are currently ordering the limited number of people leaving Australia to quarantine for two weeks even if they have had double vaccine injections of AstraZeneca. Picture: Chris Pavlich

Federal health authorities are working urgently to ensure people going overseas will have their Australian-made AstraZeneca vaccinations recognised as legitimate and not have to quarantine on arrival.

The mutual recognition for vaccines will allow Australians travelling overseas to avoid quarantine when international travel restrictions are lifted next year.

Some European nations and the US are currently ordering the limited number of people leaving Australia to quarantine for two weeks even if they have had double vaccine injections, in part because of a lack of certification of the Melbourne-produced AstraZeneca vaccine.

The National Security Committee of cabinet this week authorised the Therapeutic Goods Authority to begin the mutual certification process with other nations to ensure people travelling from Australia have their vaccination recognised.

Although most nations now require two-week quarantine on arrival, the proposed use of “green passes”, vaccination recognition and safe travel bubbles will mean more Australians would face further restrictions without the certification of the AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured in Australia.

The lack of certification of particular vaccines is not a criticism of the vaccines’ efficacy or safety but a mutual regulatory requirement to allow vaccinated travellers to be recognised and to avoid possible quarantine.

There have been instances of people proposing to travel to the US and European countries being advised they will have to quarantine for two weeks and there was no certification for the AstraZeneca vaccine produced in Australia.