COVID-19 vaccine | SII's Covidshield vs Bharat Biotech's Covaxin: A cost comparison

After conducting nation-wide vaccination dry runs, India is now geared up for one of the world’s largest COVID-19 vaccination drives.

The Health Ministry has said that Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech will give the government 16.5 lakh doses of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate free of cost.

It also said that it will get procuring 1.1 crore doses from Serum Institute of India (SII), at a press briefing held on January 12.

Here is a cost comparison between both COVID-19 vaccines that the government is purchasing:

Bharat Biotech charging government only for 38.5 lakh doses at Rs 295 per dose, it said.

The Ministry also added that since the procurement is of 55 lakh doses, the price comes down to Rs 206 per dose.

As for the cost of getting 1.1 crore doses from SII, the government will be getting them at the cost of Rs 200 per dose.

On Friday, January 8, the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said that it would soon be a reality to vaccinate the entire population in the country against COVID-19 after prioritising risk groups.