The Serum Institute of India (SII) is providing the Covishield vaccine at different prices across the country. The differential price of Covid-19 vaccine is unprecedented and unfair. It is discriminatory and will benefit only big industrialists and corporates, while common people will suffer. The current situation is extremely dire; the virus is constantly mutating while the public remains at risk. The SII has announced a price of Rs 600 per dose for Covid vaccine supplies to private hospitals and Rs 400 per dose, now reducing it to Rs 300 for state governments. And Bharat Biotech has earlier said its Covaxin will cost Rs 600 for state governments and Rs 1,200 for private hospitals. It's surprising that despite the harsh lessons of last year and the pain inflicted on our citizens, the government continues to follow an arbitrary and discriminatory policy, which promises to exacerbate existing challenges. The government is standing unhelplessly and silently endorsing the blatant profiteering and exploitation by the two manufacturers. The vaccine has to be provided free in the pandemic situation. There may be chaos in the country from May 1, in the wake of non planning on the part of the Centre for providing vaccines to the youth and poor.
