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India is all set to start the next phase of the world's largest mass vaccination drive. From Monday, March 1, people above 60 years of age and people above 45 with underlying health conditions will get the vaccine. However, though this vaccine will be given for free in government hospitals and vaccine centres, many approved private centres will charge for it. Till now, the government was deliberating on the price per dose of the vaccines. According to reports that have just come in, the Union Government has fixed the price of vaccines at Rs 250 for a dose which would be available at private hospitals for people above 60 years of age and those above 45 years of age with comorbidity, and will be vaccinated starting March 1, sources said. However, the prices are subjected to change until further notice. The government has decided that the people will be vaccinated free of cost at the government hospitals.
The cost break-up is Rs 150 for a dose plus Rs 100 as a service charge which the private facilities can charge from the beneficiaries. The decision was taken by National Health Mission and is being forwarded to all the states and union territories, sources informed. But the government has also said that the price of the COVID-19 vaccines fixed by it is subject to change. Moreover, it does not say if both Covishield and Covaxin will cost the same. Earlier, sources said that Covaxin is likely to cost more than Covishield.
After healthcare and frontline workers, the third phase of vaccination against the COVID-19 pandemic is unrolling beginning March to cover 27 crore of people at 10,000 government and over 20,000 private vaccination centres.
The Union Government has also said that the vaccines that will be handed out to the private clinics will be stored at public health facilities having cold chain points. The private facilities will be able to receive the desired doses from the public hospitals in their vicinity.
(With inputs from IANS)