COVID-19 vaccination programs have dominated headlines since we stepped into 2021. As the country gears up for a full-fledged vaccine rollout, what groundwork should you lay to help your employees get vaccinated safely and on time?
We answer this and other pressing questions on the minds of decision-makers today.
1. What vaccines are available?
Globally, over 50 COVID-19 vaccines are in trials or various stages of rollout right now. But the ones in the limelight are the Pfizer, Moderna, and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines.
On Indian shores, Covishield from Serum Institute of India (SSI), which is essentially the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, and Covaxin by Bharat Biotech have been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for restricted emergency use. In the weeks ahead, other vaccines that get approval may also be available.
2. How do these vaccines work?
These vaccines are intramuscular (IM) shots that will be injected into a muscle.
*UK has been giving it as much as 3 months apart as well
While the Covishield vaccine has been 70-90 percent effective, Covaxin has shown 81% interim efficacy in stage III trials.
3. What is the rollout plan in India?
- Frontline and healthcare workers were the first to receive the vaccine in January and this is still under way.
- In March, the government kicked off phase 2 as well. Senior citizens, who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 complications, can now get the vaccine, alongside 45-year-old plus people with comorbidities. Armed forces and police personnel are also being vaccinated in this phase.
- Next, the program will likely be thrown open to the public, who will also need to register to get their shot. We expect this to happen in April-June this year.
4. When will the vaccine be available for corporate drives?
Right now, healthi can facilitate the vaccination process for your senior employees (60 plus), 45-year-old plus employees with comorbidities, and parents of employees. In the next phase, when the government opens up the drive for the public, healthi will promptly run integrated drives for all our clients.
5. What will the process be like? How can healthi help?
Our team has been running vaccination camps successfully for several years. Leveraging our logistics chain and expertise, healthi can seamlessly roll out customized COVID-19 vaccination drives across India. This will include on-site, in-clinic, and at-home solutions, subject to government guidelines.
6. How much will the vaccines cost?
The COVID vaccine can be availed free of cost at government hospitals and is pegged at Rs 250 per dose at approved private hospitals. As with any vaccination, this final end-user cost in the private sector also includes a service charge (Rs 100) to cover expenses.
This pricing is unlikely to change until there are further updates from the government. A possible differentiator is add-on services – for instance, diagnostic tests to assess your health status or a doctor consultation prior to or after your vaccination. However, healthi will negotiate for the best terms on your behalf and ensure you benefit from our bulk order pricing when you sign up for large orders.
To find out more about enrollment, planning and offers, simply reach out to us!