Yahoo Finance COVID-19 Vaccine Covishield, Developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca, Would be Sold to Govt For Rs 250 Per Dose, Says Adar Poonawalla
New Delhi, November 23: The central government would purchase 90 percent doses of Covisheild, a potential vaccine against coronavirus (COVID-19) being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, CEO Adar Poonawalla said on Monday. Speaking to NDTV, Adar Poonwalla said COVID-19 vaccine Covishield would be sold to the government for Rs 250 per dose and Rs 1000 to pharmacies. COVID-19 Vaccine Covishield May Get Emergency Use Authorisation From India in December 2020, Says Report.
"The target set by the government is 300 to 400 million doses by July. We are putting an MRP of Rs 1,000 - for the private market it will be around Rs 500 or 600 (+ Rs 200 for the distributor) and Rs 250 or less for the government," Poonawalla was quoted as saying. Covishield is developed by the Oxford University and pharma giant, AstraZeneca. Poonwallla's SII has an agreement with the government to mass-manufacture doses of the vaccine.
Poonwalla said a minimum of 100 million doses of Covishield will be available by January 2021. "It will be another two-three months for the vaccine to be available in India. By January we will have 100 million doses, minimum," he said. The general public, Poonawalla, said is unlikely to get the vaccine easily before March 2021 because it won't be released in private market before that. When Will COVID-19 Vaccine Covishield, Developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca, Be Available? Adar Poonawalla Responds.
"Till then the general public is not likely to get it easily. They will have to go to government distribution points and, if they are eligible, then they will get it. Otherwise, they have to wait till March... because the priority is to vaccine our most vulnerable," Poonawalla said. Earlier today, AstraZeneca announced their vaccine was found to be highly effective in preventing the disease in an interim analysis of clinical trials.
