KATHMANDU, June 9: 67-year-old Laxmi Nagarkoti and her husband Baburam Nagarkoti (80) back in February went to receive their first shot of Covishield vaccine as a ‘privilege’ provided by the state. Their fear was wiped out after receiving the first dose as they didn’t experience any health issues but now it’s the wait for the second dose that is increasing anxiety amongst them.
“Our children begged us to go to take the shots. We took it as per their request. Now, the wait for the second dose is making us anxious, the wait now has become never-ending. We don’t know whether we will get it or not,” Laxmi told Republica as she held Baburam’s hand tightly while speaking.
“He is asthmatic and we fear contracting the virus. If we test positive then it wouldn’t be less than a nightmare,” she added.
Dahal says none is privileged to make mistake(s)
Another septuagenarian Rukmani Balami has the same kind of experience as the Nagarkoti couple. Balami too had hesitated to take the first shot of Covishiled and had taken it only after being assured that she wouldn't contract the virus.
“The wait for the second dose is raising more fear in me. I have agony with the government but what can we do? We are powerless in comparison to them,” lamented 77-year-old Balami, who received the first dose of Covishield earlier in February.
Around 1.4 million people above 65 years of age were provided the first shot of Covishield from 7th March to 23rd March after Nepal got one million dosage of Serum Institute of India (SII)-manufactured Covishield.
As the SII has stated it won’t be able to supply the international market before October due to various reasons, elderlies in Nepal who were privileged at first feel abandoned. So far in Nepal, people receiving the first shot of COVID-19 jab stands at 2.13 million while 691,184 have received the full course.
Though the government on 6th June decided to provide AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine as an alternative to the booster dose of the Covishield vaccine, the schedules are yet to be fixed.
The government decided this after the Serum Institute of India, the manufacturing company of Covishield vaccine and the COVAX Facility, expressed its inability to supply an additional quantity of Covishield vaccines to Nepal for the time being.
The Ministry of Health and Population, issuing a release on Sunday, said that its decision to give AstraZeneca vaccine to those waiting for the booster shot of Covishield as both vaccines are similar in their nature and composition. The booster or second dose is to be taken after 12-16 weeks of getting the first shot.
Amid the uncertainty, Nepal from Tuesday has rolled out China-donated Vero Cell’s first dose targeting sexagenarians upto the age of 64 years. But the question that still remains is, will they get the complete dose? Will the state be able to keep the privilege?
