Centre asks Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech to reduce price of Covid vaccines

The Centre has asked Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech, manufacturers of Covishield and Covaxin respectively, to reduce prices of Covid vaccines, news agency PTI repored quoting official sources. The move has come days ahead of India's planned drive to inoculate all aged above 18. The vaccination drive is set to begin May 1.

The Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech has fixed the price of its COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, at Rs



600 per dose for state governments and at Rs 1,200 per dose for private hospitals.

The Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's largest vaccine maker in terms of volume, has announced a price of Rs 400 per dose for its COVID-19 vaccine, 'Covishield', for state governments and Rs 600 per dose for private hospitals.

Both vaccines are available to the central government at a rate of Rs 150 per dose.