12th January, 2021

 

Centre will bear the cost of the first round of Covid vaccines: Modi

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a virtual meeting with the Chief Ministers of all states and Union territories to review the pandemic situation in the country and discuss the Covid vaccine rollout. During the meet, he informed the state governments that they will not have to pay for the first round of Covid vaccines as the Centre will bear the cost. Also Read - COVID-19 Live Updates: Cases in India surge to 10,466,595 while death toll reaches 1,51,160

The Prime Minister also said that the first round of vaccines will be administered to the frontline and healthcare workers, and public representatives are not in the priority list. In the second phase, people above 50 years of age will be vaccinated, he added. Also Read - Holding breath to avoid Covid-19 infection? It may actually increase the risk, say Indian researchers

Modi also emphasized that the state governments should continue creating public awareness, adding that maximum awareness is required after the second and third round when three crore vaccinations are completed. Also Read - Sedative drugs, curb on family visits may increase risk of acute brain dysfunction in Covid-19 ICU patients

“India is entering into a decisive battle against Covid-19 and we should not let our guard down now. We are going to start the vaccination drive from January 16. It is a matter of pride for us that the two approved vaccines for Covid-19 are both Made in India,” IANS quoted Modi as saying.

Indian Vaccines Most Cost Effective In The World

The Prime Minister said that both the Made in India vaccines are more cost effective than any other vaccine in the world. Notably, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had approved two vaccines for emergency use in the country: Covishield  – developed by Serum Institute of India in partnership with the Oxford University and AstraZeneca, and Covaxin – developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).  

Earlier this month, Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla had announced that his company has fixed two different prices for Covishield. The vaccine will be given at Rs 250 to the government while it will be available in the private market for Rs 1,000, he said. This is cheaper than the Pfizer vaccine, which is priced at USD 19.50 (Rs 1,440) per dose in the US.

While Bharat Biotech has not yet revealed the price of Covaxin, the company’s MD Dr Krishna Ella had earlier hinted that the vaccine will be cheaper than a water bottle.

According to Modi, four other vaccines are in the pipeline. All these vaccines are made keeping in mind the situation of the country, he said.

The mass Covid-19 vaccination drive will be carried out in 5,000 sites across India. The state governments are finalizing the vaccination sites in their respective regions.

Source: https://www.thehealthsite.com/