Bangalore: Discounts on items ranging from fast food to flight tickets are being offered by Indian firms keen to lure people to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, as the economy re-opens gradually from weeks of lockdown. Businesses in the West are making similar offers to dispel vaccine hesitancy. However, India is badly short of doses for its population of nearly 1.4 billion, and the incentives could serve to attract more recipients.
IndiGo airline is offering a discount of up to 10 per cent on base fares to customers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 (both single and double doses), the company said in a press release Wednesday. India’s largest domestic carrier thus becomes the first airline to make such an offer to its customers at a time when the Ministry of Civil Aviation has set a fare cap on seat pricing.
“Being the largest airline in the country, we feel it is our responsibility to contribute to the national vaccination drive, by encouraging more people towards this common goal. This offer will not only strengthen their resolve towards vaccination but also ensure that they can travel safely at affordable fares with IndiGo,” the airline said in a press release.
“We feel it is our responsibility to contribute to the national vaccination drive by encouraging more people,” Sanjay Kumar, a senior official of the company said.
The Indian arm of fast food giant McDonald’s is also offering a 20 per cent discount on meals. This move comes about as the fast-food company wants to ensure the safety of persons visiting its eating joints. Similarly, home appliances maker Godrej has said that vaccinated customers will have extended product warranties. To claim the discounts, people must show their vaccination certificates issued by the government.
State-run Central Bank of India Ltd, on the other hand is offering higher interest on deposits from recipients of at least one dose.
However, the rate of vaccination in India remains very slow compared to other countries. Against a population of over 1.4 billion, India has so far administered a little over 29 crore vaccine doses.