Covid-19 fourth wave: SII slashes price of each dose of Covovax jab, check details here

SII’s Covovax was earlier included on the CoWin portal for inoculation of children aged 12-17 years at private vaccination centres.

New Delhi: The Serum Institute of India (SII) on Tuesday said that it has reduced the price of each dose of its Covovax Covid-19 vaccine for children from Rs 900 to Rs 225, excluding taxes. This came a day after SII’s Covovax was included on the CoWin portal for inoculation of children aged 12-17 years at private vaccination centres.

Following the recommendation of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) the provision of the vaccine option was included on the portal on Monday.

On Tuesday, Director for Government and Regulatory Affairs, SII, Prakash Kumar Singh, reportedly communicated to the government that the firm is reducing the price of each dose from Rs 900 to Rs 225 plus goods and services tax (GST) for private hospitals. 

In addition, a private hospital can charge up to Rs 150 as a service charge. After this, the price of Covovax was reportedly revised on the CoWin portal.

Serum Institute of India's CEO Adar Poonawalla earlier on Tuesday said that Covovax is now available for children across the country.

The SII CEO said on Twitter that Covovax, which has been developed by Novavax, is now available for children in India. He further said, "This is the only vaccine manufactured in India that is also sold in Europe and has an efficacy of > (more than) 90%."

This is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "vision of providing yet another vaccine to protect our children", Poonawalla said.

Covovax (@Novavax), is now available for children in India. This is the only vaccine manufactured in India that is also sold in Europe and has an efficacy of > 90%. This is in line with Shri @narendramodi Ji's vision of providing yet another vaccine to protect our children. pic.twitter.com/QUm7sZyOfi — Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) May 3, 2022

India's drug regulator had approved Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults on December 28 last year and in the 12-17 age group, subject to certain conditions, on March 9.

Currently, children aged 12 to 14 years are vaccinated with Biological E's intramuscular vaccine Corbevax, while those in the 15-18 age group are being administered Bharat Biotech's Covaxin at government vaccination centres.