Nepal has resumed its stalled coronavirus vaccination campaign with one million doses given by China after the Himalayan nation made international pleas for help with a shortage of doses, reports AP.
Thousands of people, all 64 years old, lined up at vaccination centres even before they opened. People aged 60 to 63 are scheduled to get inoculated in the coming days.
“I am the happiest person today. I finally got the vaccine and I am now protected,” businessman Pawan Khanal said at a Kathmandu vaccine center. “I want to really thank the government.”
Nepal's vaccination campaign began in January but was stalled when neighboring India suffered a coronavirus surge and banned exports of the AstraZeneca vaccine it produces. Nepal had received one million AstraZeneca doses donated by India and paid for two million more but never received half the shipment.
That left 1.4 million people over the age of 65 who received an initial dose of AstraZeneca vaccine and are still uncertain if they will receive their second.
