Covishield COVID-19 Vaccine May Cost Rs 500-600, Could Be Available For Limited Use In December

In some good news for India, the Serum Institute of India (SII) has said that the COVID-19 vaccine Covishield could be made available for limited use as early as December.

According to Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of SII, the vaccine should be available for healthcare workers and elderly people by around February 2021 and by April for the general public.

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Poonawalla said that his company will apply for emergency approval for the limited use of ¡®Covishield¡¯.

Will apply for emergency authorisation

Asked when the SII will apply for an emergency authorisation, Poonawalla said as soon as the UK authorities and the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) approve it for emergency use, it will apply to the drug controller for emergency use authorisation in India.

"But that will be for a limited use for frontline workers, healthcare workers and elderly people," he added.

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Children would have to wait a little longer till the safety data is out, but the good news is that COVID-19 is not so bad and serious for them, Poonawalla said.

COVID reportedly less likely dangerous for children

"Unlike measles pneumonia, which is deadly, this disease is seeming to be less of a nuisance for children but then, they can be carriers and can give the infection to others.

"We want to vaccinate the elderly people and others who are the most vulnerable first. Once we have enough safety data to go in on children, we can recommend it for children too," he said.

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The vaccine which is originally developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca will be manufactured and sold in India by SII as Covashield.

Two doses for Rs 1000 approximately

Asked at what price the public will get it, he said it will be around USD 5-6 per dose with an MRP of around Rs 1,000 for the two necessary doses.

"The government of India will be getting it at a far cheaper price at around USD 3-4, because it will be buying in a large volume and get access to the price that is similar to what COVAX has got. We are still pricing it far cheaper and more affordable than other vaccines we have in the market today," Poonawalla said.

While the vaccine rollout may happen in December this year, Poonawalla said it will take much longer for everyone to be vaccinated.

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"It will probably take two or three years for every Indian to get inoculated, not just because of the supply constraints but because you need the budget, the vaccine, logistics, infrastructure and then, people should be willing to take the vaccine. So these are the factors that lead up to being able to vaccinate 80-90 per cent of the population. It will be 2024 for everybody, if willing to take a two-dose vaccine, to be vaccinated," Poonawalla said.