Vaccine Prices Slashed for Booster Dose in Private
NEW DELHI, April 9: The manufacturers of “Covishield” and “Covaxin” have decided to provide the Covid vaccines to private healthcare centres at Rs 225 per dose for administering as booster dose to all adult persons in the country.
The decision was announced a day before Covid vaccine booster shots opened by the government for all Indian adults who have completed nine months or 39 weeks after the second dose. The booster shots to such eligible adults is to begin at the private healthcare centres from Sunday.
The prices of Covishield and Covaxin at private hospitals have been slashed by more than half. At present, each dose of Covishield costs Rs 600 at private hospitals, while Covaxin costs Rs 1,200. But both the vaccine doses will now cost Rs 225. While 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 made the announcement separately on Twitter on Saturday after discussing with the centre.
“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+,” Poonawalla 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,” Ella tweeted.
The Union Health Ministry on Friday had announced that those above the age of 18 years who have completed nine months after the administration of the second dose will be eligible for the precaution dose.
Poonawalla had yesterday welcomed the Centre’s announcement. Calling it a crucial and timely decision, he said people who wished to travel were finding it difficult to do so without a third dose as several countries have placed restrictions on those who have not taken a booster dose.
“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 yesterday said.
Significantly, on Saturday, the Union Health Ministry issued guidelines to all states that private vaccination centres can charge a maximum of Rs 150 per dose as service charge over and above the cost of the vaccines. “Private vaccination centres must declare the price per dose chargeable by them on Co-WIN, in accordance with the prices declared by the manufacturers,” the ministry told the states.
India will continue to follow homologous vaccination for booster schedules. “Administration of precaution dose will be homologous i.e. same vaccine type will be used for precaution dose which was used for vaccination of 1st and 2nd dose,” the health ministry has said.
This means that a beneficiary who has received two doses of Covishield will have to take Covishield as the third dose. Similarly, those who received two doses of Covaxin will have to take Covaxin as the precautionary dose.
The union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said the Ministry had organised an orientation meeting of the Health Secretaries of States/UTs earlier this week on precaution dose for 18–59 years old population at private CVCs. “Detailed orientation of State officials was done on various new provisions made on CoWIN platform for the expansion of eligible population for precaution dose and also correction of vaccination certificates by citizens,’’ said the Ministry.
It said the States and the Union Territories were also advised to accelerate the administration of ongoing free COVID-19 vaccination with the first and second doses to 12+ years population and optimal administration of precaution dose for healthcare, frontline workers and those over 60 years at government centres.
The Health Ministry has said private centres must declare the price per dose chargeable by them on Co-WIN, in accordance with the prices declared by the manufacturers and the guidance of the Ministry with respect to the service charges. Also they must declare their correct stocks of vaccines on Co-WlN and must use the procurement module of Co-WlN for vaccine stocks.
It said the Co-WlN system shall send SMS to all citizens eligible for precaution dose based on the details of earlier vaccinations recorded in it. A confirmation SMS is sent by the Co-WlN system immediately after successful recording of vaccination events to the mobile number used for vaccination of citizens.
The verifier/vaccinator must confirm if the citizen has received the confirmation SMS and the verifier/vaccination must generate the certificate of the beneficiary and provide it to the beneficiary. “The details of precaution dose vaccination would be reflected by the Co-WlN system in the certificate. Beneficiaries can also download the updated certificate themselves by logging in to the Co-WlN system or through Digi-locker or Arogya Setu and other existing applications,’’ said the Ministry.
About 96 per cent of the 15 and above population in the country have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose while about 83 per cent of has received both doses. More than 2.4 crore precaution doses have also been administered to healthcare workers, frontline workers and those aged above 60 years. Besides, 45 per cent of beneficiaries in the 12-14 years age group have received the first dose, the Ministry said.
(Manas Dasgupta)
