Large section in India willing to pay Rs 500 for Covid vax: Survey

New Delhi, Feb 9 Ind are not only willing to get vaccinated against Covid-19, and a great many of them are even willing to pay up to Rs 500 for a jab to protect themselves against the disease, a new survey said on Tuesday.

About 42 per cent of the participants in the survey involving over 30,000 respondents said they were willing to pay up to Rs 500 for the vaccine, while another 27 per cent were ready to pay between Rs 500-Rs1000, said the survey by research based policy think-tank Bureau of Research on Industry and Economic Fundamentals (BRIEF) and a leading healthcare platform, 1mg.com.

The results showed that 84 per cent of the respondents showed willingness to undergo Covid-19 vaccination in India with recommendation by the doctor and evidence on safety being the key influencers to choose the vaccine.

Respondents not willing to take the vaccine cited fears of side effects as the major reason for not wanting to take the vaccine.

The survey assumes importance in light of the recent announcement made during the Union Budget 2021. The Finance Ministry has allocated Rs 35,000 crore for Covid-19 vaccines besides committing to provide further funds if required.

The survey also brought out the key reasons to undertake the Covid-19 vaccination.

Living with vulnerable family members and frequently visiting public places were the topmost reasons for showing willingness towards undergoing Covid-19 vaccination.

"The insights from the pilot survey are interesting and build a case for delving deeper into the perceptions of the people towards Covid-19 vaccination which can support in creating an effective communication strategy, addressing the fears of people and ensuring a smooth vaccination programme in India," Afaq Hussain, Director-BRIEF, said in a statement.

The online survey was conducted during in the months of December 2020 and January 2021, across sample size of 30,392 respondents.

( With inputs from IANS )