Rising COVID cases news from China is concerning: SII CEO Adar Poonawala, urges people not to panic
Speaking on China expecting a massive surge in coronavirus cases, he said, "There are some reports. What will you say on China?"
A day ahead of the opening of precaution doses of Covid-19 vaccines to the 18+ population group, vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India (SII) on Saturday announced a reduction in the price of its Covishield vaccine for private hospitals from Rs 600 to Rs 225 per dose.
In a tweet, Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla said, ” We are pleased to announce that after discussion with the Central Government, SII has decided to revise the price of COVISHIELD vaccine for private hospitals from Rs.600 to Rs 225 per dose. We once again commend this decision from the Centre to open precautionary dose to all 18+.”
The government on Friday decided to make available precaution doses of Covid-19 vaccines to the 18+ population group from 10 April.
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“The administration of precaution dose to 18+ population through private vaccination centres would start from 10th April (Sunday), 2022,” an official statement said here.
All those who are more than 18 years of age and have completed nine months after the administration of the second dose would be eligible for a precaution dose.
So far, about 96 per cent of the 15+ population in the country has received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose while about 83 per cent of the 15+ population has received both doses.
More than 2.4 crore precaution doses have also been administered to healthcare workers, frontline workers and the 60+ population group. Nearly 45 per cent of the 12-14 years age group has also received the first dose.
The ongoing free vaccination programme through government vaccination centres for the first and the second dose to the eligible population as well as precaution dose to healthcare workers, frontline workers and the 60+ population would continue and would be accelerated, the statement added.
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