You log in to the Cowin website every day hoping to get a vaccine slot for yourself and your family, but you fail. Your friend calls you up telling you he was on the website for hours on end and finally managed to get a slot. You go online and see memes about failing to get a vaccine slot. 

All of this, sounds familiar? Well, you are not alone sailing in this boat. 

As of 20 May 2021, only 10.7% and 3% of the total population in India has gotten the first dose and is fully vaccinated, respectively (Source: Our World In Data). With the majority of the population yet to get their first shot, India’s vaccine drive is facing serious setbacks due to the shortage of vaccines. 

Amidst such grave situations, we saw a Dubai-based travel company, promoting vaccine tourism offering a 24 days package to Russia which also included getting 2 jabs of Sputnik V for Rs. 1.3L. Post which the agency was flooded with queries from Indians only to be found out that this package is in its ideation phase and not yet launched for Indian tourists. 

Due to the deadly second wave of COVID-19 in India, most countries have restricted the entry of Indian visitors. While some other Indian agencies tried seeking approval for vaccine tourism packages to New York and London, all failed. 

However, Russia is one of the few countries allowing Indians to fly in with a negative PCR report with no quarantine on arrival. Therefore, a Delhi-based travel agency claims to have sent a set of 30 doctors from Gurugram to Moscow on May 15, who have already received their 1st shot, and another group of doctors is said to fly out during May end. Companies are trying their best to organize these vaccine tourism packages. 

So, what is vaccine tourism exactly and who can benefit from it? 

Vaccine tourism, as the name suggests, is a trip taken with the goal to get vaccinated. In the current scenario, it means travelling to other countries that are offering vaccines to tourists as an added benefit to a vacation trip to that country. 

People have been quarantined or staying indoors for too long due to the virus and hence, getting to go for a vacation with the added benefit of both shots of a vaccine doesn't sound like a bad idea. But is it ethical? 

Countries are setting vaccine targets keeping in mind the most vulnerable groups and vaccinating them accordingly. When vaccine tourism comes into play, there is a high possibility that someone who is at a high risk gets snatched off the opportunity to get vaccinated in his/her home country. Countries like Maldives, Dubai, San Marino and other USA states are offering these vaccines to tourists if they are willing to pay. The tourism industry suffered heavy losses due to the pandemic, therefore to recover these losses, vaccine tourism is being promoted. 

Though the ethics behind vaccine tourism can be debated upon, it is not really illegal. There are no such laws that restrict a country from vaccinating tourists if air travel is allowed. However, countries have put some policies into place in order to make sure that the locals are not devoid of the vaccine, given the shortage in supply. Also, as there are no such official announcements and arrangements from the government’s side, these packages may not be fully reliable as well. 

A low-key version of vaccine tourism is already taking place in Maharashtra, India. People from Mumbai have been driving to the nearest rural areas and getting vaccinated which has caused a stir amongst the locals complaining about not getting a slot. 

In India, the vaccination drive has been going on and the eligibility criteria are based on age and not place of residence, which makes it fully legal for people to flee to other places to get the vaccine. 

Every individual is trying his/her best to save themselves from this deadly virus. While some can afford absurdly expensive jabs as a part of a trip, others are unable to pay for basic medication. In such hard times, it is essential to be considerate about society as a whole and try to be ethical with our ways of dealing with the pandemic.