New Delhi, Apr 9 (IANS): Ahead of the opening of the booster drive for all the 18 plus range, vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India has announced a considerable reduction in the price of its Covishield vaccine for private hospitals - from Rs 600 to Rs 225 per dose.

Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla said that SII has decided to revise the price of Covishield vaccine for private hospitals after discussions with the Central government.

"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," Poonawalla said in a tweet. "We once again commend this decision from the Centre to open precautionary dose to all 18+".

The decision to reduce the Covishield vaccine price has come a day after the government announced that precaution doses of Covid vaccines will be made available to 18 plus population group at private vaccination centres from April 10.

The Centre said on Friday in a statement that all those who are more than 18 years of age & have completed 9 months after the administration of second dose, would be eligible for the precaution dose.

Meanwhile, in a virtual meeting with all Health Secretaries of states and UTs on Saturday, the Union Health Ministry announced that the private Covid Vaccination Centres can charge only up to a maximum of Rs 150 as service charge for precaution dose over and above the cost of vaccine.