COVID: Nepal starts inoculating 12-17 year olds

Nepal has started inoculating its population in the age group of 12-17 years with anti-COVID vaccines as the infection fueled by the Omicron variant continues to grip the nation.

Starting from Sunday, the Bhaktapur District in Central Nepal has become the first amongst the other two districts in Kathmandu to start the inoculation drive. In coordination with local bodies, the Moderna vaccines are being administered to students aged 12-17 years at various schools of the ancient city.

"As it has been stated that those between 12 to 18 years are meant to be inoculated, we have collected birth registration certificate and on the basis of contact and confirmation with parents personally, the students are being administered the vaccines," KayasthaGyan Keshari , vice-principal at Sankhadhar Memorial School of Bhaktapur told ANI.

The local school in Bhaktapur district is one amongst hundreds of schools that has inoculated students with anti-COVID vaccines. Neighbouring districts of Kathmandu and Lalitpur are also set to start the campaign on Tuesday.

"After getting the jabs, the students also would develop the confidence that they are now protected to some extent from the contagion. As we adults already have been inoculated with the vaccines and have a sort of confidence that in case we get contracted we won't be having serious complications. The school administration has been passing on this sort of information to the students as well so that they get encouraged to take the jabs," Kayastha added.

"Fear has receded after getting jabs because it would reduce risk of serious complications and can continue our daily walks and chores of life, it has significantly removed obstacles from our way," Nishnat Koirala, one of the students toldafter received the doses of anti-COVID vaccine.

"But it would not mean that I would flout the safety measures and precautions. After taking the jabs also I would not roam around unnecessarily would strictly follow and adopt the safety measures but it has reduced the fear to some extents," Koirala added.

The adjoining districts of Kathmandu and Lalitpur also has expected to inoculate a large number of children through the vaccination drive that starts from Tuesday despite closure of educational institutions.

Nepal on Monday alone recorded 1,446 new cases of coronavirus, an alarming surge in the virus transmission in the country of late, while 255 infected patients recovered in the past 24 hours.

Of the confirmed cases, 1,357 were detected through the RT-PCR method and 89 from the antigen method. Likewise, there are 675 cases in Kathmandu, 65 in Bhaktapur and 136 in Lalitpur, taking the total cases in the valley to 876 in the past 24 hours.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, there were two coronavirus-related deaths reported in the past 24 hours. With this, the COVID-19 death toll in the country is 11,606 till date. There are 7,855 active cases of coronavirus in Nepal as of today.

( With inputs from ANI )

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