After Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech says it will reduce the cost of COVAXIN for state governments

• Bharat Biotech, the company behind the COVID-19 vaccine COVAXIN, has slashed the price of its vaccine for the state governments.
• In a media statement today, the company said that COVAXIN will now cost state governments ₹400, as opposed to the earlier ₹600.
• Earlier, Serum Institute of India has reduced the price for Covishield to ₹300 for state governments.

Bharat Biotech, the company behind the COVID-19 vaccine COVAXIN, has slashed the price of its vaccine for the state governments. In a media statement today, the company said that COVAXIN will now cost state governments ₹400, as opposed to the earlier ₹600.

“Recognizing the enormous challenges to the public health care system, we have made COVAXIN available to state governments at a price of ₹400/dose,” said the company.

However, for private hospitals the vaccine will still cost ₹1,200.

Earlier, Serum Institute of India, the Indian company which manufactures the Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine called Covishield locally, had reduced the price for state governments to ₹300.

The move from the vaccine manufacturers comes after they received much backlash for the high prices of the vaccines and multiple state governments announced that they would provide free vaccinations for their citizens.

India has opened up vaccination for all above 18 years of age from May 1, and the registrations for the vaccinations opened on April 28.

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