Argentines vaccinated with Sinopharm “should be able” to travel under new regulations

When President Pedro Sánchez announced that from June 7 Spain would open its arms to travelers from all over the world who have the full coronavirus vaccination schedule, he stressed that it will be possible for those who have received the ‘one of the approved vaccines. by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or by the World Health Organization (WHO), news that discouraged those who, like many Argentines, were vaccinated with Russian Sputnik V, which not listed among those approved.

Sánchez, however, avoided specifying whether the list of vaccines that Spain considers valid to open its borders includes those approved for “Use in an emergency”, as with the Chinese Sinopharm, also applied to immunize in Argentina.

“The criterion that Spain has established to allow entry from June 7 is that the vaccinated can do so if the vaccine they have received is authorized by the WHO even in an emergency situation”, interprets Daniel López Acuña , epidemiologist and former director of the Health Action in Crisis of the World Health Organization.

-What does “emergency use” mean?

-When the WHO says it approves a product or vaccine as an emergency, it means that all the phases required for registration in immunization agencies have not yet been completed, but there is initial or preliminary evidence that they can be very effective for a health problem that affects a large number of people.

“It seems to me it’s a bit premature. It would have seemed preferable to me to keep the requirement of a negative PCR “

Daniel López Acuña

Epidemiologist

-Argentina is vaccinating with Sputnik and Sinopharm, which is listed for emergency use. Could an Argentinian with the full Sinopharm directive enter Spain or not?

-Yes, they should be able to do this if the vaccine is authorized by the WHO, even in an emergency. This means that the safety and efficacy studies have not been fully completed as required by regular approval protocols. This means relaxing the standards a bit and even if not all requirements are complete, going ahead with this approval as it is considered that the benefits may outweigh any side effects or potential problems that arise.

“A little premature”

-How do you see Spain opening up this week to British tourists, who will have to do quarantine and two PCRs, and nine other countries and that from June 7 all foreigners vaccinated with sera approved by WHO and EMA can enter?

-That’s the decision made. It seems to me that this is a bit premature. It would have seemed preferable to maintain the requirement of a negative PCR when we have a very high incidence dynamic in some countries where the same vaccinated people can still be infected or infected, even if they have a very mild illness. And we need to protect ourselves as well as possible from the penetration of virus variants.

“There are contradictions in the measures that have been adopted and they are not necessarily optimal from the point of view of health security. I think that the logic of wanting to reactivate tourist flows prevails “

Daniel López Acuña

Epidemiologist

-Spain considers, as of this week, that Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Israel, South Korea, Thailand, Rwanda, China, United Kingdom and Japan are safe countries and that their inhabitants can enter without control. Will everyone be vaccinated with vaccines approved by WHO and EMA?

-There are contradictions in the measures adopted and they are not necessarily optimal from the point of view of health security. I think that the logic of wanting to reactivate tourist flows prevails. This is understandable, but my point of view is that it should be done with more guarantees of health safety.

-Is discrimination generated?

-Absolutely. I think that it is necessary to be much more coherent in the measures which are taken and to establish a uniform framework which is not only guided by the tourist markets.

Madrid. Corresponding