Covaxin price: ₹600 for states, ₹1,200 for private hospitals, Bharat Biotech announces

A health worker prepares to administer COVAXIN to a man at an indoor stadium in Gauhati, India.

Bharat Biotech's Covaxin will be available to state governments at ₹600 a dose and private hospitals at ₹1,200 a dose, the Hyderabad-based company said on Saturday.

"Following the Govt of India directives, we announce the prices of COVAXIN vaccines - ₹600 per dose for state hospitals and ₹1,200 per dose for private hospitals," Bharat Biotech said

In a statement, Bharat Biotech chairman and managing director Krishna M Ella said, "Recovering costs is essential in the journey of innovation towards other vaccines such as Intranasal Covid-19...Our core mission for the last 25 years has been to provide affordable, yet world-class healthcare solutions for the globe."

The Hyderabad-based firm also said that it is "deeply concerned" by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic in India and the rest of the world.

"Bharat Biotech is honoured to develop, manufacture and supply Covaxin for India's vaccine rollout at rs 150 per dose, which is distributed for free by the Government of India. We would like to state that more than 50% of our capacities have been reserved for central government supplies," it added.

Bharat Biotech - COVAXIN® Announcement.

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The other vaccine maker in India, Serum Institute of India, will sell Covishield at ₹400 a shot to states and ₹600 a dose to private hospitals.

The goverment on 19 April had announced a "liberalised" policy, making all above 18 years of age eligible to get vaccinated

from 1 May. It has also allowed state governments and private hospitals to purchase vaccines from manufacturers.

As per the Centre, manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccines will be free to supply 50% doses to state governments and in the open market, for which they will have to make an advance declaration of the price before 1 May, according to a PTI report.

India had started the Covid vaccination drive on 16 January with two vaccines -- Covishield (Oxford-AstraZeneca's vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India) and Covaxin (manufactured by Bharat Biotech Limited).

The second phase of the vaccination campaign to inoculate people above 60 years and those over 45 with comorbidities against the coronavirus began from 1 March. The third phase began on 1 April for all above 45 years of age.

In the next phase starting 1 May, all above the age of 18 would be eligible to receive the dose.