The vaccines were made in India, and have not yet been authorised by the European Medicines Agency.
Up to five millions Britons could be blocked from European travel, due to three batches of the AstraZeneca vaccine not being recognised by the EU’s passport scheme.
The vaccines were made in India, and have not yet been authorised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
People who have received these jabs could be turned away at borders if they attempt to use their vaccination status to travel.
Which batches are affected?
Three batches of the AstraZeneca vaccine are affected:
4120Z001
4120Z002
4120Z003
Your batch numbers should be written or stamped on the vaccine card you received at your first appointment.
You can also view your batch numbers through the NHS app, by clicking “Get your NHS Covid Pass”.
Why is the EU not accepting them?
The EU Digital Covid Certificate launched on Thursday 1 July, and is designed to allow people to travel freely across the region using proof of vaccination.
These three batches, produced by the Serum Institute of India, are a version of the AstraZeneca jab known as Covishield, which is yet to be approved for use in the EU.
This means it is not recognised as a valid vaccination for travel.
The brand name Vaxzevria is on all UK medical records of people who have received the AstraZeneca jab, as this is the name it is sold under.
However, the UK also purchased five million doses of the Covishield version produced in India. While these jabs are marked “Vaxzevria” on medical records, they can still be identified as Covishield jabs by their batch numbers.
There is no suggestion that these batches are substandard. The issue is that the EMA has not authorised them because the Indian manufacturers are yet to seek a licence to use it in Europe.
The Telegraph spoke to three people who have received one of the three batches, none of whom were told there was anything different about their jabs.
Hannah Smith said she feels “discriminated against”, adding that she would abandon plans for a European holiday until the situation is cleared up.
Another person who received a dose from one of the three batches said: “That vaccine passports would be a thing is entirely predictable, so our Government should have made sure any they purchased would be recognised for travel everywhere.”
Can I still travel if I’ve had one of these batches?
Most European countries will accept proof of a negative Covid test to travel, so if you have received one of these batches you should still be allowed to travel if you get tested.
However, Malta, which has recently been added to the green list, now requires travellers from the UK who have not been fully vaccinated to quarantine upon arrival.
This means people who received one of the three Covishield doses may have to isolate despite being double-jabbed, as the EU Digital Covid Certificate would not accept one of their doses.
