Routine immunisation goes amid lockdown

Kathmandu - The Ministry of Health and Population has continued its routine immunisation service amid the nationwide lockdown against coronavirus. The immunisation has presently been suspended only in those areas having the higher infection rates.

According to the Child Health and Immunisation Section, Department of Health Services Chief Dr Jhalak Sharma, all vaccines under the routine immunisation could not be included during this crisis. It includes only 35 percent of the routine vaccines. The government had resumed the vaccination schedule on April 22.

It was decided to be suspended on April 3 bearing in mind the growing risk of infection. The government each year administers 12 sorts of vaccines including BCG, DPT, polio, measles and rubella to 620,000 children since birth to 15 months. The service is free.