COVID-19 Vaccination News in India: DON'T MISS these IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS related to COVID-19 vaccination in India

COVID-19 Vaccination News in India: At present, the COVID-19 vaccination drive is going on in India. Along with Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield, the availability of Sputnik V from Russia is certainly going to be an added boost for the COVID-19 vaccination drive in the country. The price of Sputnik V is currently capped at Rs 995 per dose. However, people will be relieved to know that this price is expected to come down as soon as local manufacturing of the vaccine begins in India. 

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According to an ANI report, a company spokesperson from Dr. Reddy's Laboratories informed that the price of the Sputnik V vaccine is expected to come down once the local manufacturing of the vaccine starts. The spokesperson said to ANI, "The current MRP of Rs 948 + 5 per cent GST is for the imported doses. We are not able to provide a specific number but as indicated, once local manufacturing of Sputnik V begins, we do expect the possibility of a lower price point."

Last week in Hyderabad, Dr. Reddy's commenced a limited pilot soft launch of the Sputnik V vaccine in Hyderabad which is expected to ramp up and extend to other cities as well. The spokesperson further informed that the company is currently in discussions to bring the single-dose Sputnik Light to India.

India had started its vaccination drive with Covaxin and Covishield on January 16, 2021. The second phase of COVID-19 vaccination to inoculate people above 60 years of age and those above 45 years with comorbities was started from March 1, 2021. The third phase began from April 1, 2021, where all above 45 years were included. In the next phase, that started from May 1, 2021, all adults above 18 years of age were included.

As per an ANI report on May 20, 2021, after the US President Joe Biden announced the decision to distribute 80 million vaccines to the country in need.

The US will be distributing 80 million vaccines that includes 60 million Astra Zeneca and 20 million Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines. However, US has not yet mentioned how much it will allocate to India and how much to other countries.