EU Recognizes San Marino's COVID-19 Certificates, Not Sputnik V Itself - Health Authority

The European Commission's recognition of COVID-19 certificates issued in San Marino does not equate to authorization of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V, which has been used by the European microstate, a spokesperson for the National Institute of Health (ISS) told Sputnik on Tuesday

ROME (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd August, 2021) The European Commission's recognition of COVID-19 certificates issued in San Marino does not equate to authorization of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V, which has been used by the European microstate, a spokesperson for the National Institute of Health (ISS) told Sputnik on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, the Russian Direct Investment Fund said that the European Commission had approved COVID-19 vaccine certificates issued in San Mario, where 90% of the population has been vaccinated with the Sputnik V vaccine.

"This decision is of a technical nature. It does not imply recognition of Sputnik V, it is about a digital signature. Our green pass with a QR code is now readable in European apps," the ISS said.

It added that all Sammarinesi who received the vaccine now have an active digital certificate. It can be downloaded online or be printed out.

"We have had them [certificates] for several weeks now. Europe has had it since yesterday. The signature of the [commission] chairman Ursula von der Leyen under the document is dated July 30. Thus, they recognized that the technical characteristics of our certificate correspond to European ones," the ISS added.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has been reviewing Sputnik V since March 4. However, several European countries, including San Marino, Slovakia and Hungary, have already approved its use without waiting for EMA authorization.