Five former PMs ask govt to ensure vaccine against COVID-19 to citizens

June 13, Kathmandu: Minister for Health and Population Sher Bahadur Tamang has said preparations are underway to send a letter to the Government of the United KingdomUnited Kingdom Government, requesting it to provide the COVID-19 vaccine named Oxford-AstraZeneca to Nepal.

The Ministry has decided to import AstraZenecavaccine same as the Covishield vaccine developed by the Serum Institute of India, as the delivery of the Covishield vaccine to Nepal was halted at present.

While talking to the media on Saturday, Minister Tamang added that the halt in the import of vaccine has deprived the senior citizens in the country to receive the second dose of the Covishield vaccine.

The Minister expressed the hope that the UK government would ship the vaccine soon.

The second dose of the vaccine is required in an interval of at least 12 to 16 weeks.

There is not any side effect of AstraZeneca as an alternative to Covishield as the medicine combination is the same.

Over 1.4 million people above 65 years of age have received the first dose of Covishield between March 7 and 23.