The Tamil Nadu government’s proposal for free vaccination of people aged 18-45 against COVID-19 may cost the exchequer about ₹1,536 crore, if 60% of this age group is covered.
About 3.2 crore people are in this age group. A vaccine dose costs ₹400. The estimate is based on the fact that each person has to be administered the vaccine twice.
Senior officials are conscious of the additional burden, but they say that besides preventing a super-spreader event, the drive will ensure that the economy does not suffer because people aged 18-45 are the most productive. Migrant workers, employed in a number of sectors, such as construction and services, will be among the beneficiaries.
One of the factors that compelled the government to take the decision on the procurement is to gain the ‘first mover advantage’. The officials are aware that Karnataka has already initiated steps to have the vaccine procured.
Dual pricing
As for the dual pricing policy, the State would have heaved a sigh of relief had the vaccine been priced at ₹150 a dose, the rate at which the Centre got the vaccine.
At the same time, the government knows it has few options. As the drive will be a priority for a new government, the authorities will be left with no alternative to cutting down the expenditure.
However, what is adding to the anxiety of the officials is the potential supply constraint, “which we do not want to have once the order is placed and the vaccination plan is rolled out,” an official said.
