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This story is from April 10, 2022

Vaccine prices cut to Rs 225 ahead of booster dose rollout today

In guidelines issued to states and Union territories, the Centre said private centres — hospitals and clinics — have to declare the price per dose chargeable by them on CoWin. Individuals in the 18-59 age group eligible for the booster dose can book online appointments as well as walk in to receive the third dose, guidelines issued by the government said.
Vaccine prices cut to Rs 225 ahead of booster dose rollout today
A health worker inoculates a man with a dose of the Covaxin Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine in Mumbai
NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD: A day before the rollout of the ‘precaution dose’ or booster shot for all adults, Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech on Saturday slashed prices of Covishield and Covaxin, respectively, for private hospitals to a uniform Rs 225 per dose. The Centre capped service charge for administration of the jabs at these hospitals at Rs 150 per dose, over and above the cost of the vaccines.
In guidelines issued to states and Union territories, the Centre said private centres — hospitals and clinics — have to declare the price per dose chargeable by them on CoWin.
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While both companies said prices were cut after consultation with the Centre, many private hospitals said they already have an inventory of doses procured earlier at a higher price of Rs 600 and Rs 1,200 for Covishield and Covaxin, respectively. The hospitals plan to raise the issue with the health ministry.
‘Booster shots to be of same vaccine type as earlier’
Individuals in the 18-59 age group eligible for the booster dose can book online appointments as well as walk in to receive the third dose, guidelines issued by the government said. CoWin system shall send SMS to all citizens eligible for precaution dose based on the details of earlier vaccinations recorded in the system. Vaccination centres are also required to record vaccinations on CoWin, which will generate certificates.

The ongoing free vaccination programme through government vaccination centres for the first, second and the precaution dose to healthcare workers, frontline workers and elderly of age 60 years and above will continue and the pace would be accelerated, the health ministry said.
Underlining that India will continue to follow homologous vaccination for booster schedules, health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said: “Administration of precaution dose will be homologous, ie same vaccine type will be used, which was used for first and second doses.”
Bharat Biotech offers extra doses to hospitals
With private hospitals flagging a price differential in vaccines following Saturday’s cut, Bharat Biotech requested private hospitals to provide Covaxin at Rs 225 and said the company would compensate in the form of additional doses. SII is yet to clarify the matter. A query sent to SII on this remained unanswered till the time of going to press.
Pointing out that fresh stocks of Covaxin are available and ready for supplies, Bharat Biotech said it has over 50 million doses readily available. “Additional production capacity is also available to meet product demand,” it said.
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