New Delhi: A day prior to Covid Vaccine Booster dose being available to all the adults nationwide, the rates of Covishield and Covaxin have been slashed by more than half. Both the vaccines will cost Rs. 225.
Covishield has been slashed from ₹ 600, Covaxin is down from ₹ 1,200 per dose. Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla and Bharat Biotech cofounder Suchitra Ella taking to Twitter made the announcement.
“We are pleased to announce that after discussion with the Central Government, SII has decided to revise the price of COVISHIELD vaccine for private hospitals from Rs.600 to ₹ 225 per dose. We once again commend this decision from the Centre to open precautionary dose to all 18+,” Mr Poonawala tweeted.
“Announcing #CovaxinPricing. We welcome the decision to make available precautionary dose for all adults. In consultation with the Central Government, we have decided to revise the price of #COVAXIN from ₹ 1200 to ₹ 225 per dose, for #privatehospitals,” Ms Ella tweeted soon after.
The government announced on Friday that coronavirus booster doses will be given to all adults starting on Sunday at private immunisation centres.
The directive means that, unlike the booster doses for healthcare workers, frontline employees, and those over 60, most adults will have to pay for the third jab.
“Ongoing free vaccination programme through government vaccination centres for first and second dose as well as Precaution Dose to Healthcare Workers, Frontline Workers and 60+ population would continue and would be accelerated,” a government statement said.
About 96 percent of the country’s population aged 15 and over has gotten at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccination, while about 83 percent has received both doses, according to the report.
The decision to make the booster available to all adults comes as diseases spread across numerous countries, making it difficult for some Indians to go overseas without receiving a third dose.
Vaccination in the absence of booster doses is not considered complete in some countries, such as Israel.
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