With the government allowing a booster dose for all adults from Sunday, (Serum Institute of India) SII has announced new prices for its COVID-19 vaccine Covishield. The company said in a notification, end-users will have to pay 600 more hospitals will get it at a subsidized price for the Covishield booster dose.
The Union Health Ministry said on Friday that precautionary dose Now available at all private COVID-19 immunization centers from April 10 for the above 18 population group.
Earlier this week, SII Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Adar Poonawalla praised the Centre’s booster dose policy, saying, “For booster doses, we have appealed to the government for a few months, as all those traveling People need to take a booster dose, the government has already covered the entire adult population with two doses and now it is time for a booster too.”
He also mentioned that all other countries have already started booster doses and now it was India’s turn to match suit.
Can booster doses protect us from new forms?
Clearing the air around it, the CEO of SII confirmed that the vaccines work against the new variants. Poonawalla clarified, “Yes our vaccines will work, but you have to get boosters for the future version, we have enough stock.”
All those who are above 18 years of age and who have completed nine months of taking the second dose will be eligible for the precautionary dose, the ministry said in a statement.
India started giving preventive doses to frontline workers, healthcare workers and people above 60 years of age on January 10 this year. Later, on March 16, the vaccination campaign for the precautionary dose was extended to all adults over the age of 60.
(with inputs from agencies)
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