As India plans to vaccinate its 300 million people over the next eight to nine months, it is estimated that the government would require nearly $1.4 billion to $1.8 billion to support its first phase of Covid-19 vaccination drive.
Reported by Reuters, in case of best scenario of assistance under COVAX facility, if India receives 190-250 million shots, then the Indian government would require about $1.4 billion to catch-up the shortfall. And in case if the country is allocated 95-125 million doses, then the government would require the sum of nearly $1.8 billion dollars. In addition to this, the country would also require $30 million to $80 million for the necessary infrastructure to store and transport the vaccine.
India being the second most caseload country in the world after United States is likely to receive vaccines from AstraZeneca, Russia’s Sputnik, India’s Bharat Biotech and Zydus Candila. The vaccination plan shared by the Indian counterpart to the international donors aims to inoculate 10 million frontline workers by February 2021, 20 million supporting workers by the following month, followed by the 270 million vulnerable individuals by August 2021.