Adar Poonawalla said that the vaccine would cost Rs 500 to Rs 600 for the general public.
Serum Institute of India Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla on Thursday said that India can expect a coronavirus vaccine by December or early next year, the Hindustan Times reported. “Never did I dream that we at the Serum Institute of India would have a good vaccine developed by this year-end with all regulatory approvals in place,” Poonawalla said at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit. “If everything goes according to plan, January-February 2021 is our deadline for making the vaccine available to frontline workers and to the general public by March, April next year.” Poonawalla said the vaccine would cost Rs 500 to Rs 600 for the public. “It will probably end up being around $5-6 [Rs 370-450] a dose with an MRP [Maximum Retail Price] of Rs 1,000,” he said. “Of course, the government of India would be getting it at a far cheaper price, probably around $3-4 [Rs 220-300] because there would be high it in large doses – 100 of millions of doses. So, they will get access to a price, which is similar to what Covax has got…and the general public as I mentioned will have to pay around Rs 500-600.
