Corona vaccine available for Rs. 200

The central government has taken a crucial step to make the corona vaccine available to the public for just Rs 200. It is working on a deal to make the Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield vaccine available at affordable prices. For this purpose, it is about to enter into an agreement with the Serum Institute of India, the largest vaccine manufacturer from Pune, which makes the Covishield vaccine.

Serum sources said that the first 100 million (one crore) doses will be offered for Rs 200 in the initial phase. The sources said that a few million doses of Covishield vaccines will be delivered every week, starting with 11 million doses. It was also announced that the shipment of the vaccine would begin by Tuesday morning.

Along with Covishield, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has also recently approved the emergency use of Covaxin vaccine, which was developed by India Biotech. The Union Health Ministry said last week that the vaccine would be distributed from January 16. 3 crore health workers and frontline workers are prioritised to be vaccinated first.

The center said the vaccine would then be given to those over 50, and those under 50 who are suffering from other health problems. The center aims to vaccinate 30 crore people by July. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the cost of the two vaccines to be given to the people of the country will be met from the PM Cares funds.

Meanwhile, the transportation of the Covishield vaccine from the Serum Institute in Pune began on Tuesday early hours. Three trucks left for the Pune airport with the first dose. From there they will be flown to different parts of the country on special flights. Prayers, puja and worship services were held before the vaccine was transported.

On the occasion, Pune Zone-5 DCP Namrata Patil said that extensive security arrangements have been made to move the first dose of the vaccine from the Serum Institute of India. The vaccine will be transported to Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Karnal, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Guwahati, Lucknow, Chandigarh and Bhubaneswar.  Trucks carried away 478 boxes, each weighing 32 kilos.