Bharat Biotech fixes Covaxin price at Rs 600 dose for state govts; Rs 1200 for private hospitals
Bharat Biotech has fixed the price of its COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, at Rs 600 per dose for state governments, while it will cost Rs 1200 per dose for private hospitals, the domestic pharma major announced on Saturday. The company has set export price at between $15-20 per dose.
Bharat Biotech’s Chairman and Managing Director, Dr lrishna Ella had on Tuesday said that they would be seeking the “maximum price to recover all costs”.
The Centre had recently announced that the states can directly procure the COVID-19 vaccine from the manufacturers. Till now, the Central government was supplying the vaccine to the states. As per the new directive now private hospitals have been allowed to procure the vaccine from the manufacturers directly.
The manufacturers can distribute only 50 percent of the total vaccine output to the state governments and in the open market. The Central government will procure the other 50 percent of the vaccines. Starting from May 1, as per the new policy, the vaccine manufacturers can decide competitive pricing for the vaccines. The Serum Institute of India has announced two price slabs for its Covishield vaccine. Meanwhile, as per the government data on Wednesday, Covishield, from the OxfordAstraZeneca stable, comprises over 90 percent of the 12.76 crore COVID-19 vaccines administered across India so far. Of this, 15 states and union territories have only given Covishield. The other vaccine being administered in India is the indigenous Covaxin from Bharat Biotech in Hyderabad.
Giving details, of the 12,76,05,870 COVID-19 vaccination jabs administered till now, 11,60,65,107 are of Covishield while 1,15,40,763 are of Covaxin, according to the government’s CO-WIN portal.
Moreover, about 15 states and union territories,including Goa, Chandigarh and Jammu and Kashmir, have administered only Covishield to its beneficiaries. Experts said Covishield is being produced at a much higher scale than Covaxin due to which its availability is more.
Earlier, the Centre on Monday announced that India will embark on a new mass COVID-19 vaccination to inoculate all aged above 18 years from May 1, regardless of comorbidities.
Like the other inoculation phases, the vaccine jabs will be administered for free in government hospitals this time too.
Whether you choose a government facility or a private one, you will have to get yourself registered for taking the vaccine jab. You will also need to produce a photo identity document at the vaccination centre. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you self-register on the CoWin app for COVID-19 vaccination for adults above 18 years from May 1.
Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-the developers of indigenous COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin-have claimed that their vaccine has shown overall interim clinical efficacy of 78 percent and 100 percent efficacy against severe COVID-19 disease.
The vaccine manufacturer’s claim is based on interim results from phase 3 trials of Covaxin, one of the vaccines approved for use in India. In the trial results, Covaxin demonstrated that the efficacy against severe COVID-19 disease was 100 percent with an impact on reduction in hospitalisations plus an overallinterim clinical efficacy of 78 impact on reduction in hospitalisations plus an overallinterim clinical efficacy of 78 percent. according to a Bharat Biotech-ICJVIR joint statement.
Meanwhile,India recorded 3,14.835 new COVID-1 9 cases in a single day, the highest- ever in the world since the pandemic outbreak, as per the data shared by the Union Health Ministry. With this new surge. the total number of cases rose to 1,59,30,965, while the active cases crossing the 22-lakh mark. presenting a grim picture of the COVID-19 situation in the country.
