Those Above 18 Can Get COVID Vaccine From May 1, But May Cost More In Open Market Than Before
Taking a major step in the mass vaccination drive against COVID-19 in India, the central government announced that from May 1, everyone in the country, above the age of 18 are eligible to get the shots.
Under the third phase of the vaccination drive commencing next month, the vaccine manufacturers would be free to supply 50 percent doses to state governments and in the open market for which they will have to make an advance declaration of the price before May 1, according to an official statement.
"The private vaccination providers would need to transparently declare their self-set vaccination price and the eligibility through this channel would be opened up to all adults, that is everyone above the age of 18," the statement added.
Vaccination will continue as before in the government of India vaccination centres free of cost to the eligible population -- healthcare and frontline workers and all people above 45 years of age.
Major change in vaccine policy
This is a major change in the vaccine rollout policy under which so far states were not allowed to procure the doses on their own and the makers were not allowed to sell the vaccines in the open market - i.e, to private hospitals and pharmacies.
What changes now
However, the biggest change that is going to happen in Phase-III is the pricing of the vaccines. In the first two phases, the vaccines were given free of cost and was charged at Rs 250 for a shot in private hospitals.
The price - Rs 250 each for the two shots was determined by the Central government as it was the only one procuring the vaccines from the drug companies.
But under the new policy, when vacancies will be made available in the open market from next month, private Hospitals would have to procure their supplies of Covid-19 vaccine exclusively from the 50% supply earmarked for other than Government and vaccination providers shall transparently declare their self-set vaccination price.
Market price
In January this Adar Poonawalla, CEO, Serum Institute of India had said that his company was selling the first 100 million doses only to the Government of India on their request at a special price of Rs 200 and after that, the company will be selling it at Rs 1,000 in private markets.
Similarly, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, which the government was procuring for Rs 206 plus tax per dose is also going to cost more, once it hits the open market. Though Bharat Biotech has so far not commented on the pricing of Covaxin it is expected to be around the same range as Covishield.
Does this mean that everyone will have to pay more?
Yes and no, depends on where you live in and what the policy of that particular state is.
In the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections, last year, the BJP has triggered a massive controversy after it promised free COVID-19 vaccines to everyone in the state.
Since then several states and UTs including Delhi have said that the vaccines will be administered for free of cost to everyone there. So, if you are living in one of those states, you might still get it for free.
At this point, it is still not clear how the price at which each state can buy the vaccines for themselves can be determined.?
What about the free vaccination campaign?
It should also be noted that the central government will continue to buy 50 per cent of the output as it has been doing so far and will continue to provide them free of cost to the eligible population as defined earlier i.e. Health Care Workers (HCWs), Front Line Workers (FLWs) and all people above 45 years of age.
Earlier, responding to appeals by vaccine makers like Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech for financial aid to ramp up production, the government has approved a payment of about Rs 4,500 crore as advance payment without bank guarantee
SII will get Rs 3,000 crore in advance and Bharat Biotech about Rs 1,500 crore.
