Serum Institute of India’s Covishield will be available to state governments at ₹400 a dose and private hospitals at ₹600 a dose, the Pune headquartered company said Wednesday.
The announcement comes two days after the central government decided to open up vaccinations against COVID-19 to those above the age of 18 years.
As per the government’s latest decision, around 50 per cent of the doses produced by vaccine makers will be provided “in the open market” at a pre-declared price.
State governments, private hospitals and private industry members can purchase these doses for vaccinations of those between the ages of 18 and 45 years.
It is not clear at this stage how much over this cost private hospitals will be able to charge those in this age group when they arrive at their facilities for vaccinations. T
Those above the age of 45 are eligible for free vaccinations at government centres and at a reduced rate of ₹250 per dose at private facilities under the government’s immunization programme.
States are allowed to decide how they would ration out the doses they procure from vaccine makers directly.
The remaining 50 per cent will be provided to the central government, which will be supplied to states as per a formula that the government has been using to distribute these resources across the country. This formula has not been disclosed by the government.
Surjitt Sahani
