Bhutan is planning to start COVID-19 mass vaccination from March 18, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH), though the date is yet to be finalized.

According to officials, 470,627 people have registered for the COVID-19 vaccination as of March 15.

The authorities are currently training the health workers on administering the vaccines.

The health ministry has enough human resources to conduct the mass vaccination, according to The Bhutanese.

There will also, be a ‘movement restriction’ for a few days so that the whole population is vaccinated at once. However, it won’t be a lockdown, officials clarified

An official from the health ministry said a large number of people have registered  for the COVID-19 vaccine, so they have good information on the geographic and demographic distribution, and therefore micro plans are being drawn at the health facility level.

The Health Minister had earlier said that they have received suggestions that schools and other institutions should be converted into venues as those who are vaccinated need to be kept under observation for about 30 minutes to monitor any side effects or adverse reactions.

The country already has 150,000 Covishield (Astra-Zeneca) vaccines. The additional doses of 400,000 vaccines will be arriving in the country soon.

Bhutan will receive a second dose of 550,000 vaccines after five to six months from the Indian Government, the newspaper added.

Prime Minister Dr. Dasho Lotay Tshering said that Foreign Minister Lyonpo Dr. Tandi Dorji had been in touch with his Indian counterparts who have promised that the vaccines will come in by the third week of March.

PM Tsherinng said that India has always fulfilled its commitment, which was made at the highest level of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the first batch already being delivered and the second batch expected to come soon.

He said the Indian Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj has also been very proactive on the issue. He said the help from India has also been beyond Bhutan’s expectation.

Apart from the Government of India, the COVAX facility is expected to send around 108,000 doses in April.

Bhutan is also in talks with Pfizer to get around 200,000 doses which could come in the second half of the year or even next year. Pfizer can be fully used in kids between 12 to 15 of age, and also the elderly people.

The extra doses will be useful for Bhutan to vaccinate 12,000 to 13,000 children who will come of age every year as well as Bhutanese returning back home.

Tshering said Bhutan has an advantage as it managed to handle COVID-19 successfully as very few cases were reported.