India is all set to get a fourth Covid vaccine this month with the Centre placing orders for 1 crore doses of Gujarat-based Zydus Cadila’s three-dose candidate. The vaccine, ZyCoV-D, has already been granted emergency use authorisation for adults and children above 12, making it potentially the first to be administered to the adolescent population in India.
Zydus Cadila has agreed to bring down the price of its COVID-19 vaccine to ₹ 265 a dose following persistent negotiations by the government.
To administer the needle-free vaccine, a disposable painless jet applicator costing ₹ 93 is required for each dose, which would take the price to ₹ 358 per dose.
“The company has brought down the price to ₹ 358 for each dose which includes ₹ 93, the cost of a disposable jet applicator, following repeated negotiations by the government,” a source in the know of developments told news agency PTI.
“We are happy to support the Government’s vaccination programme with ZyCoV-D. The needle-free application of the vaccination, we hope, will motivate many more to vaccinate and safeguard themselves from COVID-19, especially children and young adults in the age group of 12 to 18 years,” said the Managing Director of the company, Dr. Sharvil Patel.
