`A philanthropic gesture`: Covishield vaccine price for states reduced from Rs 400 to Rs 300

As India gears up for the third phase of COVID-19 mass vaccination drive, the Serum Institute of India (SII) on Wednesday announced that it is reducing the price of Covishield vaccines for sale to states from Rs 400 per dose to Rs 300.

New Delhi: As India gears up for the third phase of COVID-19 mass vaccination drive from May 1, the Serum Institute of India (SII) on Wednesday announced that it is reducing the price of Covishield vaccines for sale to states from Rs 400 per dose to Rs 300.

Making the announcement on Twitter,  SII Chief Adar Poonawalla wrote: "As a philanthropic gesture on behalf of @SerumInstIndia, I hereby reduce the price to the states from Rs.400 to Rs.300 per dose, effective immediately; this will save thousands of crores of state funds going forward. This will enable more vaccinations and save countless lives."

On April 25, the United States announced assistance to India by providing raw material for the manufacture of Indian Covishield vaccine in India, in the wake of deepening COVID-19 crisis.

The breakthrough came after Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and American National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke to each other on telephone. Other than that, US will be supplying therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators, and PPE, oxygen generators, deploy an expert team of health advisors from CDC & USAID to help India.

Meanwhile, the registration for COVID-19 vaccine for all adults began from 4 pm today, April 28. All adults are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine jab and can register themselves on the CoWIN portal or the Aarogya Setu app.