The centre has extended the coronavirus vaccination drive for everyone above the age of 18 amid the soaring cases in the country. The step has been taken to ensure that maximum number of Indians are getting inoculated with the vaccine jab. Phase-III of the world's largest COVID-19 vaccination drive also aims at liberalised vaccine pricing and scaling up vaccine coverage.
Phase I was launched on January 16, 2021, for vaccinating the Health Care Workers (HCWs) and Front Line Workers (FLWs), while phase 2 began from March 1 and April which focused on protecting the most vulnerable, ie, everyone above 45 years of age.
Emergency use authorisation was granted to two indigenously produced vaccines - COVISHEILD of Serum Institute of India and COVAXIN of Bharat Biotech. Another third vaccine, Sputnik V, being manufactured abroad will soon be manufactured in India.
Prices of COVISHEILD and COVAXIN shots in government hospitals
COVID-19 vaccine COVISHEILD, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India will be available for Rs 400/dose in State Government hospitals, whereas, Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine COVAXIN will cost you Rs 600 per dose in State Government hospitals.
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Prices of COVISHEILD and COVAXIN shots in private hospitals
Rs 600/dose for the COVISHEILD COVID-19 vaccine in private hospitals, while a single shot of the COVAXIN covid vaccine will cost you Rs 1,200 in private hospitals.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday stated that India by far has administered 14 crore doses of coronavirus vaccine doses which have been achieved in just 99 days. The total number of vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 14,08,02,794.