Cut in booster dose prices unlikely to increase footfall in Jalandhar

Jalandhar, April 9

Though the prices of Covisheld and Covaxin booster doses have been slashed by over half, this is not going to have a significant impact in Jalandhar. While the number of beneficiaries of the booster dose in the district is already less, there are a limited people opting for the booster doses being sold by private sector firms in Jalandhar.

From Rs600 (Covishield) and Rs1,200 for Covovax, Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawala slashed the prices of the booster dose to Rs225 today.

With Covid-19 cases at their lowest in the district for the past few months, there have been a few takers for the booster dose or those opting for the vaccine for children in the 12-14 age group. There was a rush of people opting for the vaccine during the last Covid-19 peak, but now the number of people opting for the vaccine has reduced considerably as they think Covid-19 is currently not a threat.

Only 75,541 persons (above 60) have opted for the booster dose in the district. Additonally, in the ages of 12 to 14, too, there have been a few takers, only 47,000, so far.

Only four to five hospitals in Jalandhar were privately stacking and selling the booster dose. Its hefty price in private hospitals was also under much condemnation as hospitals bought it for Rs650 and sold it for Rs800 (as per the government directions).

Director, New Ruby Hospital, Dr SPS Grover said, “Indeed, Rs650 for the vaccine was too high. Very few people were willing to buy the vaccine at the cost of Rs800 from us. The vaccination norms also changed many times. In the beginning the vaccine was being routed to us by the government, purchased by us at Rs150 and we were further selling it at Rs250. This was ok with people. But in late 2021 we were asked to busy vaccines at Rs650 directly from the company online. Purchased at Rs650, we sold it for Rs800 which reduced takers. So many of our vaccines got wasted. We haven’t received the new directions on decreased vaccine prices yet, but it was long needed.”

District Immunisation Officer Dr Rakesh Chopra said, “In Jalandhar, most of the people received free vaccines from the government so the new directions by the Serum Institute (on slashes prices) won’t have a big impact. In the beginning, many private hospitals bought vaccines, but the number was considerably reduced later on.”

Vaccine round-up

• As many as 36,08,631 vaccination doses have been administered in the district so far. While 19,09,101 people have received the first vaccine dose, 16,23, 989 people have received the second vaccine dose. The booster has been administered to 75,541 people.
• Divided among age groups, the most vaccinated category in Jalandhar is those between 18 and 44 years, who have received 17,66,004 vaccines. The least vaccinated are those in the 12 to 14 category who have received only 47,000 vaccines.
• Barring this, as many as 8,07,580 persons in the 45 to 60 age group; 5,65,303 in the over 60 age category; 2,13,641 frontline workers; 1,60,675 in the 15-17 age group and only 47,728 health workers have received the vaccine.