New Delhi: As the country battles the Covid-19 pandemic amid the unprecedented surge in cases, Bharat Biotech has announced the prices for Covaxin while highlighting the vaccine’s unique features besides the distribution guidelines to the government and for exports. The prices are applicable for the next phase of the vaccination drive beginning May 1.
The prices of both vaccines, including Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid shot, currently in use in India are out in the public domain. Here’s all you need to know about the vaccine prices.
WHAT’S THE PRICE OF COVAXIN?
Bharat Biotech has fixed the prices of Covaxin at Rs 600 per dose for the state governments and at Rs 1,200 per dose for the private hospitals. Bharat Biotech Chairman and Managing Director Krishna M Ella in a statement on Saturday said the company was supplying the vaccine to the Centre at Rs 150 per dosage.
WHY ARE THE PRICES HIGH?
Highlighting COVAXIN is an inactivated and highly purified vaccine, making manufacturing expensive due to very low process yields, Bharat Biotech said all costs towards product development, manufacturing facilities and clinical trials were deployed primarily using internal funding and the company’s resources.
IS IT STILL FREE FOR THOSE ABOVE 45?
The prices will be applicable only for those aged between 18 and 45 years after the government starts inoculation from May 1. The Centre had earlier on April 19 announces a liberalised and accelerated Phase 3 strategy of Covid-19 vaccination from May 1 stating the vaccination shall continue as before in the government vaccination centres and provided free of cost to the Health Care Workers (HCWs), Front Line Workers (FLWs) and all people above 45 years of age.
WHAT’S INDIA’S POLICY FOR PHASE 3?
Vaccine manufacturers from May 1 would supply 50 percent of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to the Centre and would be free to supply the remaining 50 percent doses to the state governments and in the open market. “We would like to state that more than 50% of our capacities have been reserved for Central Government supplies,” Bharat Biotech said.
WHAT’S THE PRICE OF COVISHIELD?
Serum Institute of India (SII), which makes Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield in India, had earlier on April 21 fixed the price of Covishield vaccine at Rs 600 per dose for the private hospitals and Rs 400 per jab for the state governments. In a statement, SII said it will address the limited capacity by scaling up the vaccine production over the next two months. SII currently charges the central government Rs 150 per dose for the existing supplies.
Asserting “Covisheld is the most affordable Covid-19 vaccine available in the market today”, SII said that its price was based on advance funding and now it needs to invest in scaling up and expanding capacity to be able to produce more shots.
WHAT ARE THE PRICES NOW?
The vaccines are free at government centers for health care and front line workers besides all those above 45 years of age. One dose, irrespective of the vaccine, costs Rs 250 at the private hospitals.
“Private Hospitals would have to procure their supplies of Covid-19 vaccine exclusively from the 50% supply earmarked for other than Govt. of India channel. Private Vaccination providers shall transparently declare their self-set vaccination price. The eligibility through this channel would be opened up to all adults, i.e. everyone above the age of 18,” the government said in its April 19 release.
HOW HAS INDIA’S VACCINATION DRIVE PROGRESSED?
The country’s vaccination drive kicked off on January 16 for the health care workers. It was gradually expanded to accommodate front line workers and then the population above 60 years and those above 45 years with underlying health conditions or comorbidities. The government decided to start Covid-19 vaccination of all people above 45 years of age from April 1 based on the recommendation of National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration (NEGVAC).
READ: Fight Against Covid-19: Complete List Of States Announcing Free Vaccines Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
STATES THAT HAVE ANNOUNCED FREE VACCINATIONS
At least 17 states, including Telangana, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Assam, have stepped up to the challenge to save livelihoods as well as lives and announced free vaccination.