Children of 5 to 11 age group will be vaccinated soon: PM Deuba

KATHMANDU, Jan 22: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has announced to commence the COVID-19 vaccination campaign to the children between 5 to 11 age group soon. 

More than 1.8 million adults between the 12 to 17 age group received the first dose and the drive to administer booster dose to those fighting against the virus on the frontline was on, said the PM in his address to the nation on Friday. Similarly, people above 60 years of age would be administered booster doses within this month. 

Saving people's lives from the virus, economic revival at a speedy pace and returning socio-economic activities to normalcy have been put on government’s first priority, he said while claiming that expansion of economic activities of the country had been expedited in the past six months and there had been expected reforms in social activities.

The policy to provide concessional loans, tax exemption and other facilities to the industries producing COVID-19 vaccines and liquid oxygen has been implemented, he reminded.  

There have been extensive reforms in infrastructural development in government hospitals dealing with the virus and their upgrading has continued. 

Efforts to prevent and control the Omicron variant have been made more effective and there is a smooth oxygen supply with adequate stock, PM Deuba said.