92% Indians want coronavirus vaccine for free: MOTN survey

The central government kickstarted the world's biggest inoculation drive to mitigate the spread of coronavirus on January 16.  According to the India Today Mood of the Nation poll, 92 per cent of Indians want coronavirus vaccines should be free of cost for common people. Merely 7 per cent of respondents said they don't want vaccine for free.

As per the government, in the initial phase,  the vaccine shots will be given to 1 crore healthcare workers, and around 2 crore frontline workers. And as per the prime minister's announcement on the launch day of the vaccination, the inoculation of these 3 crore individuals will be free of cost. The COVID-19 vaccines will get administered to people above 50 or younger than 50 years of age with associated comorbidities in later stages. As per the deal between vaccine making firms and the government, the Serum Institute of India's  Covishield will be available at Rs 200 per dose for common people, and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is priced at Rs 295 per dose. The government is sourcing a total of 55 lakh doses from Bharat Biotech. Out of these doses, Bharat Biotech has said that it will supply 16.5 lakh doses free of cost, and for the remaining 38.50 lakh doses, Bharat Biotech is charging the government Rs 295 per dose. But health ministry informed that considering the total procurement is 55 lakh doses, the price has come down to Rs 206 per dose.

Further, the survey also found that only 76 per cent of respondents were willing to take the COVID-19 jab and 21 per cent still doubts about the efficacy of the vaccines.

The Mood of The Nation survey has found that 73 per cent respondents have said they are satisfied with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

As per the MOTN survey, 50 per cent of respondents said the government's handling of COVID-19 crises was 'good', while 23 per cent called it 'outstanding'; seven per cent said 'poor' and two per cent called it 'very poor'.

The Mood of the Nation poll was conducted by Karvy Insights, a market research agency. The poll was held between January 3, 2021 and January 13, 2021.

A total of 12,232 interviews were conducted--67 per cent in rural and 33 per cent in urban areas--spread across 97 parliamentary constituencies and 194 assembly constituencies in 19 states.

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