Govt decides to start vaccination drive from June 8

KATHMANDU: The government has decided to start administering one million doses of China-donated vaccine against coronavirus from June 8.

Dr. Jhalak Gautam, chief of the vaccination branch under the Department of Health Services, informed that the meeting held on Tuesday decided to start the vaccination campaign from June 8.

“A meeting held at the Ministry of Health Tuesday decided to administer China-donated vaccines from July 8,” he said. The meeting also decided to vaccinate people in the age group of 60 to 64 years.

The Department of Health Services is preparing to dispatch vaccines to all districts following the arrival of 1 million doses of the vaccine and the decision of running the vaccination drive throughout the country. In mountainous districts, everyone above 18 years of age will be vaccinated given the availability of vaccines, Gautam informed.

Earlier, vaccination had been done in certain parts of the country. This time around the government has decided to expand the campaign across the country.

Out of 1 million doses of vaccine provided by China, more than 850,000 vaccines have already arrived in Nepal. Out of which, 800,000 doses of vaccine were brought home by Nepal Airlines on Tuesday afternoon.

The remaining 200,000 vaccines will be brought by Himalayan Airlines, of which 50,000 doses have been brought on Tuesday morning.