Booster Covid-19 dose: Govt caps service charge at ₹150. Details here
Premium- The Indian Government said that private vaccination centres can charge up to a maximum of ₹150 as a service charge above the cost of third shot of Covid-19 vaccine
The Union Health Ministry on Friday announced that Covid-19 precautionary dose or booster shot will be made available for all those above 18 years of age from 10 April, Sunday, at private healthcare centres.
This eliminates the possibility of these Covid-19 booster doses being administered with a subsidized amount or even for free.
On Friday, Serum institute of India chief Adar Poonawalla had mentioned that Covishield booster or precautionary doses will be available for ₹600 plus taxes. He also said that Covovax, which has not received approval as a booster shot, will be priced around ₹900 plus taxes, once approved.
On Saturday, the Indian Government said that private vaccination centres can charge up to a maximum of ₹150 as a service charge over and above the cost of the third shot of the Covid-19 vaccine.
The government further mentioned that the third dose will be of the same vaccine administered as the first and the second dose. Beneficiaries are eligible for the third dose, nine months after their second dose, the union health ministry informed.
The decision was made after the Union Health Secretary held a meeting with all health secretaries of state and union territories.
No fresh registrations on CoWIN portal would be required for precaution dose as all due beneficiaries are already registered on the platform.
The booster dose has already been rolled out free of cost for frontline workers and people aged 60 and above. But others will have to pay for the precaution doses which will be available for them only at private vaccination centres.
“Adding an extra layer of safety! Precaution Dose to be available to 18+ age group from 10th April, 2022, at Private Vaccination Centres. All 18+ who have completed 9 months after administration of 2nd dose, would be eligible for Precaution Dose," Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted after the announcement.
The expansion comes at a time when countries around the world are rolling out the booster doses for their citizens to thwart any possible threat from new variants.
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