Thousands of people in San Marino and Italy vaccinated with the Russian vaccine, Sputnik V, are unable to obtain an EU Digital Vaccination Passport issued by the Italian authorities.
Sputnik V is not approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Consequently, anyone who received the vaccine in San Marino is not eligible for the ‘Green Pass’.
According to local media, 90% of the population of the small state have been vaccinated with the Sputnik V vaccine. It rolled out in the territory in March, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Italians working in San Marino also vaccinated with Sputnik V
There are around 15,000 Italians working in San Marino’s tourism sector, who cross the border between Italy and San Marino daily and who have received the same vaccine in the European microstate.
There was speculation the vaccine would be approved for us in Italy and other EU countries within a few months. Therefore, all people vaccinated with the Russian inoculation will not benefit from the digital passport.
Vaccine tourism launched in May
Of the 34,000 citizens living in San Marino more than 22,000 people have been fully immunised up to this point. The state has administered more than 36,000 doses.
To date, the state within Italy’s borders has recorded a total of 5,147 COVID-19 infection cases and 90 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
However, previously, San Marino’s Foreign Minister, Luca Beccari, said the republic was close to being “COVID-free.”
In May, San Marino launched a campaign inviting tourists to get vaccinated with the Russian vaccine. The Tourism Minister, Federico Pedini Amati, stressed “the vaccination tourism campaign will start on 17 May and concern foreign, non-Italian citizens.”
