CM Arvind Kejriwal said, “Delhi will vaccinate all above 18 years free of cost. The vaccination process will begin for all adults from Saturday. Delhi CM Mr. Kejriwal announced, “Delhi government has decided to provide free vaccines to everyone above 18 years of age. Today we have given the approval for the purchase of 1.34 crore vaccines. We will make an effort to ensure that it is purchased soon and administered at the earliest to people”.
This is made open only in the Delhi Govt. run hospitals. If you go to private hospitals, you will have to pay for the Covid shots you get. Mr. Kejriwal asked vaccine producers to lower the prices of vaccines for state governments.
He also said, “I appeal to the vaccine manufacturers to lower down the prices of vaccines to ₹ 150/dose. You can earn profits anytime. But this is not the time to do that when there is an intense pandemic. I also plea to the Central government to cap the price if needed”.
He further added, “One vaccine producer said they’ll provide vaccines to the state governments at ₹ 400/dose and the second producer said that they’ll provide at ₹ 600/dose. Both of them will keep the price at ₹ 150 a dose for the central government. I hope the prices will be the same for all.”
While opening up vaccinations in the latest round from May 1, the Centre announced changes to its policy so that states and private hospitals can buy vaccines directly from the manufacturers.
The producers of both – Covaxin and Covishield – have announced prices for state governments and private entities that are higher than the rates at which the Centre has been buying them so far i.e. ₹ 150. Serum Institute of India said it will market Covishield at ₹ 400/dose to state governments and at ₹ 600 to private hospitals. Covaxin by Bharat Biotech will cost ₹ 600 to states and ₹ 1,200 to the private hospitals.
