Covaxin Costlier Than Covishield: Rs 1200 Per Dose For Private Hospitals, Rs 600 For States

Hyderabad: Covaxin will be more expensive than Covishield in private hospitals from May 1.

The Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, which is manufacturing Covaxin, announced late in the evening that it will sell the COVID-19 vaccine at Rs 1200 per dose to private hospitals.

The corresponding price for Serum India Institute’s Covishield – the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine – was set at Rs 600 earlier this week.

The state governments will also have to pay more for Covaxin – Rs 600 per dose – compared to Rs 400 for Covishield as announced by Serum Institute.

Also Read: Serum Institute Defends ‘Rs 600/Dose Of Covishield’ For Pvt Hospitals

As for the export price, Covaxin will cost $15-20 per dose.

Bharat Biotech – COVAXIN® Announcement pic.twitter.com/cKvmFPfKlr

— BharatBiotech (@BharatBiotech) April 24, 2021

With the Central government continuing to procure both vaccines at Rs 150 per dose, there has been a furore from state governments and Opposition leaders about the difference in prices.

Now that Covaxin has announced an even higher cost than Covishield, it remains to be seen how the states, private hospitals and Serum Institute react.