Portugal’s authorities have decided to recognise the Indian-produced version of the AstraZeneca vaccine which has been received by five million Britons who will no longer face quarantine on arrival.
The country had originally refused to recognise the Indian-manufactured doses of the vaccine, known as Covishield, but now Portugal’s Directorate-General of Health has changed this policy, according to reports.
The move will be a boost for the UK tourism market to Portugal with those receiving this version of the AstraZeneca vaccine currently having to quarantine for two weeks.
Although the Portuguese island of Madeira has already been accepting visitors who received Covishield doses without quarantine.
Reports in Portugal said the health authority was now putting into place the new policy.
There has been confusion about whether British visitors who received the Covishield vaccine would face quarantine when visiting EU countries with some member states already accepting the vaccine.
The problem has arisen because the European Medicines Agency has yet to formally recognise the Indian-made version of the AstraZeneca jab.