Covid Vaccine Tourism is Now a Thing in India

As covid vaccine drives are carried out in India and around the world, a new form of tourism had sprung up. It's called Vaccine Tourism, and currently, Russia seems to be the destination of choice being promoted to Indians. Though there is no official definition of vaccine tourism, any travel or trip taken with a goal to get vaccinated can be called so. Health.com equates vaccine tourism to "jumping the line", the only difference being that, here you are "visiting another country or state to get a vaccine not available to you at home".

Recently, a Dubai-based travel agency put out an offer for a 24-day package tour from Delhi to Moscow. The package includes two shots of the Sputnik V vaccines, along with the certificates. A 20-day sightseeing package is also included to pass the time between the two shots. The package is worth Rs 1.29 lakh and claims to cover everything, including the cost of getting the vaccines. The package will also cover excursions around Moscow and St Peterburg. 

Speaking to India Today the company said, “The batch that is supposed to leave for May 29 is fully booked with about 28 passengers. The next batch will leave on June 7 and June 15.”

Vaccine tourism is not a new thing. According to reports, rich Indians with Dubai residences have been flying out to get the shot since early March. Similar trips to the UK have also been around since November-December 2020. Globally, South Africans have been flying to Zimbabwe, while Canadians and Latinos have been heading to the US for jabs, and some tour operators in Europe have been offering trips to Russia for Sputnik V shots.

Is Coronavirus Vaccine Tourism Legal and Ethical? 

There is no law that makes it a crime to travel to a foreign country to get vaccinated as long as air travel is allowed, but given the shortage of vaccines across the world, many countries and local governments have put into place rules to ensure locals are not devoid of vaccines. When it comes to Russia, the legality is not yet clear. According to Loveleen Arun, a luxury travel specialist based in Bangalore, there is no approval from the Russian health authorities in this regard, information that she had verified first hand. Read her Tweet below. 

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So as of now, there are also no official arrangements in place at the government levels to ensure that those opting for such packages will get you the services they promise. There are also ethical ramifications to consider. Experts suggest that by travelling to another country for your vaccine, you could be denying someone who needs the Covid-19 shot you are getting.