In May, the Indian government had expressed confidence in achieving 100% COVID-19 vaccination of adults by the end of 2021. While India is running a global race to achieve complete vaccination to beat the novel coronavirus, there are four types of Covid vaccine in India that are being used to contain the pandemic among the masses. It is important to get covered with good health insurance which covers corona related expenses in this pandemic. Let us take a look at these vaccine options, their similarities and differences, and cost.

Covishield

Manufactured by India’s largest vaccine maker, the Serum Institute of India, Covishield was developed by Oxford University, in collaboration with Cambridge-based pharma and biotech company AstraZeneca.

Covishield has been developed on the viral vector platform using a modified version of a common cold virus. The vaccine is taken in two doses and is found to have an efficacy of 76%, which increases up to 82% with a gap of 12 or more weeks between the two shots. Covishield has been cleared for vaccination by 117 countries so far. Many countries have opened their international borders for Covishield-vaccinated people, including 10 countries from the European Union.

In India, Covishield is being offered free of cost at government vaccination centres. However, if you get the jab in a private hospital, you may have to pay up to Rs 780 per dose—Rs 600 as the price of the dose, Rs 30 as GST and Rs 150 as the service charge.

Covaxin

Covaxin is developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology. Covaxin contains dead coronavirus, which prompts the immune system to develop antibodies against it. Covaxin is administered in two doses that should ideally be four weeks apart. Phase 3 trials of Covaxin showed a 77.8% efficacy. Although 13 countries have approved the use of Covaxin, the World Health Organization (WHO) is yet to give its nod to the vaccine.

In India, Covaxin is offered free of cost in government medical centres, while private hospitals can charge not more than Rs 1,410, which is inclusive of Rs 1,200 as the price of the dose, Rs 60 as GST and Rs 150 as the maximum service charge.

Sputnik V

Sputnik V has been developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow, Russia, in association with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). Distributed by Dr Reddy’s Laboratories in India, four other Indian companies have had agreements with the RDIF for the production of the vaccine. It is a viral vector vaccine, like Covishield, and is administered in two doses to be taken 21 days apart. It is available in hospitals such as Apollo, Medanta and Fortis Healthcare, which have tied up with Dr Reddy’s for vaccine availability. More than 60 countries have authorised the use of Sputnik V. According to results published in the medical journal Lancet, Sputnik V has an efficacy of 91.6%, after Phase 3 trials.

The Indian government has defined a maximum price of covid vaccine Sputnik V at Rs 1,145. Its price per dose is Rs 948, while its GST is Rs 47 and the maximum service charge remains at Rs 150.

Moderna

Also known as Spikevax, it is developed by US-based Moderna Therapeutics in partnership with the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The vaccine is developed using messenger RNA technology which instructs the human body to create SARS-Cov2 spike protein. It prompts the immune system to create antibodies against these spike proteins. Moderna is administered in two doses with a gap of 28 days. In India, Moderna is arranged for by Cipla. The Indian government will provide the vaccine to the states and major government-run hospitals across the country. The vaccine has shown 94.1% efficacy and is claimed to be 100% effective in the age group of 12-17 years. It is authorised for use in 54 countries and has been approved by the WHO.

As of now, the price cap for Moderna has not been fixed by the Indian government. It is priced at around Rs 1,100 in the US and Rs 1,300 in European countries (as per the present currency conversion rates).

If you are yet to take the COVID first dose, make sure you do not delay it further. COVID vaccination has proved to be effective in fighting the coronavirus and has helped people in recovering from COVID-19 with little to no symptoms. You can find the details of the vaccination centres and available vaccines near you on the COWIN portal.

ICICI Lombard provides health insurance plans like Family Health Insurance, Personal Accident Insurance, Health Booster, Saral Suraksha Bima, Arogya Sanjeevani Policy, Corona Kavach Policy which offers people with the much needed financial backup during any medical emergencies including Covid-19.