Govt writes to GAVI for booster dose

KATHMANDU: The government has initiated the process to bring booster doses in the wake of growing cases of coronavirus in the neighboring countries.

The Ministry of Health and Population wrote to the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI) in a bid to import booster dose.

Chief of Immunization at Family Welfare Division in the Department of Health Service, Sagar Dahal, informed that a letter was sent to the GAVI for brining in 1.5 million doses of anti-COVID vaccines.

GAVI will provide the vaccines to Nepal under the COVAX facility. “COVAX will share information on sending anti-COVID vaccines in a week,” Dahal added.

After the information on vaccine, Nepal would initiate other process to bring the vaccines.

The government has decided to bring in Fizer vaccine which is being used only for booster.

The Immunization Section at the Department wrote letter to the GAVI after the Department of Drug Administration handed over the ’emergency permission use’.

Moreover, Spokesperson at the Department, Santosh KC, said the permission was required for it because it was additional vaccines than the regular immunization.

The Ministry has also urged all people to take booster jab because the new variant of coronavirus, BF7, was spreading in the neighbouring countries, India and China.