Hi everyone, 

Thank you so much for supporting the cause. The past week has been full of developments, and amendments to our conditions for entry into the European countries. For instance, France has decided to allow individuals fully vaccinated with the four European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved vaccines (and Covishield) into the country--even from the red-zone countries. 

However, this doesn't change the situation for students in these red-zone countries. These countries (most of them in the global South) have a very limited supply of vaccines; the EMA approved vaccines are not at all accessible. In addition, with the priority age groups focusing on senior citizens, the students (most of whom are youths) are very unlikely to have received vaccines.

Our demand continues to be that--vaccines or not--study should be exempt from the travel bans. Students and scholars should be allowed to join their programs after complying with testing and quarantine requirements. We see the light at the end of this tunnel, your support has been the most crucial of it all. But our expectations haven't been met, most of us are still unable to join our programs.

Help us spread the word. Thank you! 

Shreya (on behalf of students and scholars from red-zone countries)