SunstarTV Bureau: According to the Serum Institutes’ CEO, Adar Poonawala, India’s Covishield will be commercially available at Rs 1,000 per dose, if the government allows sale in retail.
Poonawala mentioned, “We are giving it in a very special price of Rs 200 for the first hundred million doses. Then there will be tendering and then different prices will be available.”
He added, “But let me just say whatever we give to the government, they are going to provide it free to the people of India and when we subsequently sell it in the private market, the MRP is going to be Rs 1,000 per shot.”
The Serum Institute, which had started manufacturing the vaccine developed by the Oxford University and pharma major AstraZeneca long ahead of the results of clinical trials at a huge risk, now has 50 million doses available.
The Serum Institute chief said, “We are expecting all formalities to be completed in the next 7 to 10 days and a very quick roll out after that and we’re hoping to reach 70-80 million doses of actual supply in the next one month – or maybe a month and a half at the most.”
The company said it could double its monthly output by March, but the vaccine’s availability in the private market will depend on the government easing its restrictions.
