Govt to administer Vero Cell vaccine to 60-64 age group from today

KATHMANDU: The government is administering the first shot of China-manufactured Vero Cell vaccine against the COVID-19 to people aged between 60 and 64 years starting today.

The Vero Cell vaccine provided by China as a part of grant assistance to Nepal will be given to people in the age group of 60-64 years in Kathmandu Valley. In case of other districts, the vaccines will be administered to people aged between 62-64 years, according to the Ministry of Health and Population.

The vaccination committee against COVID 19 under the coordination of the District Administration Office in all the districts of the country has made arrangements to fix the time of vaccination center and vaccination campaign.

Jhalak Gautam, chief of the National Immunization Program, said that the date of the campaign may change in some districts in special circumstances. “But we have instructed DAOs to start the vaccination campaign on the same day,” he said.

According to Gautam, the population of Nepal aged between 60-64 years is 850,000.

One person should be given two doses of the vaccine. One million doses provided by China can only reach 500,000 people. The Ministry has decided to vaccinate those above 18 years of age in the municipalities that share the border with Tibet.