How much will you have to pay for the COVID-19 vaccine in India? Tentative prices revealed

All COVID-19 vaccines will not cost the same in the open market. Here we list the tentative price of different candidates in the Indian market.

The end to the COVID-19 pandemic now seems to be in sight. As the world waits eagerly for vaccines to hit the market, there have been many positive developments bringing hope to the global population. It is likely that vaccinations may start from this month itself. Some countries have announced that citizens will get it for free. Japan is one such country. In India too there have been voices that hint at free immunization of citizens against the deadly virus. Prime Minster of India, Narendra Modi, has said that vaccines may be ready in just a few weeks. Many state governments have also announced that will be giving it for free to the citizens.

Tentative prices of various vaccines in the Indian market

All vaccines will not cost the same in the open market. There is likely to be wide disparity in the pricing and availability. Here we list the tentative price of different vaccines in the Indian market. This list is made according to the rough estimates made by the companies developing the vaccines.

• Less than Rs 100 for Bharat Biotech's Covaxin.
• Rs 250 for a shot of the Novavax vaccine.
• Rs 250-300 for one shot of the COVAX vaccine.
• Rs 500 to Rs 750 for a single shot of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. Dr Reddy's Laboratories will be the phase-III trials of Sputnik and producing the same.
• Rs 1000 for Serum Institute of India's Oxford-Astrazeneca two-dose vaccine. This vaccine will be sold as Covishield in India.
• Rs 2,700 for a single shot of the Moderna mRNA vaccine.
• There are no rates available for the Pfizer vaccine as yet. But it will cost $20 per dose in the international market.

All vaccine candidates claim to offer certain level of immunity

Many clinical trials are now nearing completion in India and experts predict that these may be available to the public by July 2021.Many people are now wondering about the cost of vaccines in the country. With so many candidates in the fray, it can indeed be confusing for the general population. So, we try to break it down and compile a list of tentative prices for the various vaccines that may soon hit the Indian market. Since almost all vaccine candidates offer a certain level of immunity against COVID-19, this list is designed to help you if you wish to get it from the market.

Inoculation to be made on the basis of risk factor

But it is essential to keep in mind that everybody may not get inoculated immediately given the disparity between demand and supply. Many experts have said that it can take as long as two to three years for every Indian to be vaccinated. After the initial rollout, healthcare professionals and the elderly will get priority and then it will be people with underlying health conditions. There may not be that many doses left for the public. Moreover, Supply, storage and logistical constraints may also play a part in availability of the vaccine.