AstraZeneca said a rise in profits in the fourth quarter from the Covid-19 vaccine would balance out costs related to developing a Covid-19 antibody treatment, as it kept its overall profit forecast for the year the same.
KATHMANDU, August 9: The Ministry of Health and Population has launched the AstraZeneca vaccination drive targeting the senior citizens above 65 years of age who have received the first dose of Covishield vaccine.
The two-day vaccination campaign kicked off today.
According to Ministry's joint-spokesperson Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, the campaign was launched following the arrival of AstraZeneca vaccines from Bhutan and Japan. Covishield and AstraZeneca vaccine are developed by the same company and based on the same formula, with different brand names. It makes no difference for those already getting the first jab of Covishield to receive the AstraZeneca as the second dose. Senior citizens receiving the first dose of Covishield are to get the second dose after around four and half months of receiving the first dose.
Some 1.4 million people above 65 years of age were given the first dose of Covishield from March 7 to 24. The second dose was delayed as vaccine purchased from India was not supplied. The vaccine is available from 149 vaccination centres in the capital.
Japanese-made AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Kathmandu
KATHMANDU, Aug 7: The Japanese-made AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Kathmandu on Saturday.
Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, Kikuta Yutaka attended the hand-over ceremony at the Tribhuvan International Airport with State Minister of Health and Population Umesh Shrestha, Joint Secretary of North East Asia Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lok Bahadur Thapa, Representative of UNICEF Nepal, Elke Wisch and WHO Representative to Nepal, Dr Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav.
This vaccine donation from Japan for Nepal through the COVAX facility was announced by Motegi Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan on 13 July. Remaining half of 1.6 million doses pledged by Japan will be shipped to Kathmandu shortly,according to the Embassy of Japan in Nepal.
KATHMANDU, June 7: The government is preparing to administer the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine as an alternative to the booster dose the Covishield vaccine.
The government ‘s decision comes after the Serum Institute of India, the manufacturing company of Covishield vaccine and the COVAX Facility expressed inability to supply additional quantities of Covishield vaccines to Nepal for the time being.
The Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) is planning to administer the AstraZeneca vaccine for those waiting for the booster shot of Covishield as both vaccines are similar in nature and composition.
Director of Family Welfare Division, Department of Health Services, Dr Taranath Pokhrel said that AstraZeneca will be provided to those receiving the first jab of Covishield as both vaccines were developed by the same company being based on the same formula and methodology and it would make no difference in giving the AstraZeneca as an alternative to the Covishield.
The vaccination schedule is yet to be fixed. The booster or second dose is to be taken after 12-16 weeks of getting the first shot.
\Around 1.4 million people above 65 years of age were provided the first shot of Covishield from 7th March to 23rd March. They are waiting for the final shot as the Serum Institute of India expressed its inability to supply one million doses of vaccines that Nepal had procured from the company for the time being in view of the increasing infections rate in India.
So far in Nepal, the number of the population receiving the first shot of COVID-19 jab stands at 2.13 million while 691,184 have received the full course. The government is administering the China –manufactured Vero Cell to the people from 60-64 age group from tomorrow, Tuesday.
