KATHMANDU: The government has sought additional 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to administer booster doses in view of increasing infection in neighboring countries.

The Ministry of Health and Population today wrote to the ‘Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation (GAVI)’ for additional dispatch of vaccines.

Sagar Dahal, Chief of Child Health and Immunisation Section, Child Welfare Division, the Department of Health Services confirmed the writing of a letter to the GAVI for additional doses of vaccines.

Earlier on December 29, the government demanded 1.5 million of booster dose vaccines from the GAVI which has already promised the supplies by coming February 2.

The government decided to seek further doses of vaccines from the Gavi to administer booster doses with the realization that the earlier demanded volume would be insufficient, Dahal said.

“We hope the Gavi will response us soon.” Nepal is receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech Bivalent booster from the Gavi under the Covax-facility.

The Ministry has also urged all people to take booster doses in the wake of the fast spreading of the new variant of coronavirus, BF.7, in neighboring India and China.

It has urged all to wear masks, maintain physical distancing, use hand sanitizer regularly and wash hands with soap and water to reduce the risk of infections.