Kathmandu— Nepal remains in the front among the South Asian countries in terms of vaccination against COVID-19. The government, which has aimed at vaccinating all citizens above 18 years by mid-April, has so far administered the first dose of vaccines to 71 percent of the population.

Similarly, the percentage of people receiving a second dose of vaccines has reached 61 percent. With effective management and administration of anti-COVID vaccines along with necessary public awareness and expansion of vaccine centers, Nepal has been able to administer vaccines to the highest percentage of people among other countries in south Asia.

The first and second dose of Covishield/AstraZeneca and Sinopharm vaccines are administered in all provinces. Similarly, the Moderna vaccine is being administered as the first dose in 57 districts. Categorically, more than 75 percent people have received the first dose in Province-1, while 61 percent have got the first dose in Madhes Province. Similarly, 83 percent people got the first dose and 80 percent received the second dose in Bagmati Province while 83 percent got the first dose in Gandaki Province, 75 percent got the first dose in Lumbini Province and 74 percent got the first dose in Sudurpaschim Province.

Currently, even the booster dose is being administered to those working in the frontline and employees in the essential service sectors. So far, 223,944 persons have received booster doses.

Among the total population, 43 percent got the second dose of vaccine and 54 percent got the first dose.

(RSS)