Infy, Accenture to cover jab cost for Indian staff

BENGALURU: Information Technology major Infosys Ltd and consulting and outsourcing services provider Accenture Plc said on Wednesday they would cover Covid vaccination costs for their employees in India, as the country expands its massive vaccination drive.

India’s vaccination campaign ramped up on Monday, with people above the age of 60, and individuals 45 or older suffering from certain medical conditions, now eligible for shots. Vaccines administered at government health facilities will be free, while private facilities cannot charge over ₹250 per dose, the government has said.

“Infosys is looking at partnering with healthcare providers to vaccinate staff and their immediate families as eligible,” chief operating officer Pravin Rao said in an emailed statement.

For Accenture, costs for employees and dependents who are eligible and choose to receive the vaccination will be covered, the company said.

So far, the government has procured the two Covid vaccines approved in India-astrazeneca’s shot being developed by the Serum Institute, and Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN-AT fixed prices and distributed them free of cost.

Several Indian firms, including autos-to-technology conglomerate Mahindra Group and FMCG giant ITC Ltd, had already started considering buying Covid-19 vaccines for their employees as early as in January.