₹780 a dose, while COVAXIN (offered by Bharat Biotech) is priced at ₹1,410 in private healthcare facilities. The vaccines are available free of cost to the public in government hospitals.
Meanwhile, the health minister said a departmental inquiry was on to investigate the free masks distribution scheme rolled out during the previous AIADMK rule.
Subramanian said a request was made in the Assembly for free distribution of masks to the public by DMK when AIADMK was in power. "Initially, the DMK's request was rejected, but later the scheme was implemented by the revenue department.
The masks that were distributed were substandard and served no purpose", he alleged. A departmental probe has been initiated, he said.