The Nepal government will begin the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive targeting mainly government employees from 14 February, reported The Himalayan Times. 

According to Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population, in the second phase, employees of all district-based government offices, public corporations and banks, journalists, elected local representatives, security personnel deployed for border security would be vaccinated. 

The ministry also informed that frontline workers who have missed their vaccination in the first phase would also receive the vaccine in this phase. The statement also asked all people belonging to these groups to remain present in designated vaccination centres between February 14-20. 

Nepal is expected to receive 2.2 million doses of Covishield from WHO’s Covax facility by the end of February. Earlier in January, India donated one million doses of Covishield to Nepal. China too gave 500,000 Sinopharm vaccines to Nepal. 

The government has also offered to vaccinate foreign diplomats in Nepal.