China to provide an additional two million Covid-19 vaccines to Nepal

 China is providing additional two million doses of Covid-19 vaccines -- Vero Cell vaccines manufactured in China -- to Nepal under grant assistance.

During a telephonic conversation with foreign minister Narayan Khadka, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi announced to provide an additional vaccine, according to a press note from the Foreign Ministry.

The two foreign ministers -- during an hour-long telephone conversation -- discussed entire gamut of the bilateral relations between the two countries, including vaccine cooperation, trade and commerce, development cooperation and border management, the press note reads, adding that the two foreign ministers also talked about progress of different development projects, return of Nepali students to China for continuation of their studies, increasing the number of containers of fertilisers and other goods and their shipment through Tatopani-Zhangmu and Rasuwagadhi-Kerung border ports and resumption of regular air services between Nepal and China. "The two leaders agreed to work closely on issues of common interest and to further promote friendly and long-standing bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries."

China is the largest provider of vaccines to Nepal, both under grant and commercial deals.

The state councilor and foreign minister Yi also extended an invitation to foreign minister Dr Khadka to visit China at a mutually convenient date.

Kathmandu Valley’s 50 per cent population vaccinated against Covid-19

Almost half the population of the Kathmandu Valley has been fully vaccinated.

According to the Health Ministry, some 50 per cent of the Kathmanduites has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. "Some 50 per cent of the targeted population in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts has been vaccinated with both the doses," the ministry confirmed, adding that 50 per cent of the population in the Valley has received the first dose of vaccine, while 48 per cent has received the full two doses. "While some 1,622,441 people have been given the first dose, some 1,562,734 people have been fully vaccinated."

Of the population of 3,247,558 in the Kathmandu Valley, the target is to immunise a population of some 2,129,773, who are above 18 years of age, the ministry added.

Some, 51.5 per cent of the target population have got the first dose of vaccine, while 48.7 per cent of the target population the full dose in Kathmandu district. Kathmandu District Public Health Office has been providing vaccination service against the coronavirus from 145 vaccination centres in Kathmandu district. Likewise, some 49.7 per cent of the target population has been given the first dose in Lalitpur, whereas some 45.4 per cent of the target population has got the full dose. The target population in Lalitpur district stands at some 382,860 and some 246,851 in Bhaktapur district.

In Bagmati Province, some 38.2 per cent of the population has got the first dose of the vaccines whereas some 35.3 per cent has already received both doses of jabs.

The government has targetted to vaccinate 33 per cent of the population in the country against Covid-19 by October 17, while, the government has preparing to vaccinate two-thirds of the total population by mid-January 2022 and all eligible citizens by mid-April 2022.

The government led by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has prioritised the vaccination programme as its top priority.

According to the ministry, a total of 17.85 million doses of vaccine has already arrived in Nepal, and 12.95 million vaccines have already been administered. Nepal has been administering four types of vaccine that is Covishield, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Vero Cell. "The number of people getting the first dose of vaccine in the country has reached some 6,960,828, whereas the number of people getting both vaccines has reached some 6,205,770," according to the ministry.

Enrollment begins for Sanofi and GSK’s Phase 3 efficacy trial of Covid-19 vaccine candidate in Nepal, led by IVI

 Sanofi and GSK received approval for their Phase 3 clinical study in Nepal to assess the safety, efficacy and immunogenicityof their adjuvanted recombinant-protein Covid-19 vaccine candidate. The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) -- an international organisation dedicated to the discovery, development and delivery of safe, effective and affordable vaccines -- will conduct the Phase 3 clinical trial in Nepal, expecting to enroll 4,000 volunteers across 3 study sites in the country.

In addition to generating local data to support the global clinical trial, this Phase 3 study led by IVI will continue to build capacity and infrastructure for vaccine research and development in Nepal. As Covid-19 vaccination becomes available, study participants are encouraged to receive an approved Covid-19 vaccine during the study, if they wish to do so. As part of the study design, all participants including the control group will be offered the study vaccine as soon as it is determined to be safe and effective.

"Nepal is participating in Sanofi Pasteur’s pivotal Phase 3 study, and we have begun enrollment of study participants in the country," country head of Sanofi Pasteur India and South Asia Annapurna Das said, adding that they have partnered with International Vaccine Institute for the study in Nepal.

"As the virus continues to evolve, we are anticipating what will be needed in the coming months and years, and accordingly, have adapted our vaccine development programme," she said, adding that they believe their Covid-19 adjuvanted, recombinant vaccine can make a significant contribution to the ongoing fight against Covid-19 and are committed toinitiating ourclinical programin Nepal, at the earliest. "Achieving global immunity to end the Covid-19 pandemic requires an innovative generation of new vaccines that have been tested against circulating variants and that will be accessible to low-resource settings."

The company is pleased to partner with Sanofi Pasteur on this pivotal Phase 3 study in Nepal, particularly in light of our recent collaboration agreement with the Nepal Health Research Council earlier this year to strengthen public health in the region,” said deputy director general at IVI Dr Anh Wartel.

The primary endpoint of the study is the prevention of symptomatic Covid-19 in SARS-CoV-2 naïve adults, with secondary endpoints being the prevention of severe Covid-19 disease and prevention of asymptomatic infection.

In a two-stage approach, the study will initially investigate the efficacy of a vaccine formulation targeting the original virus strain (D.614), while a second stage will evaluate a second formulation targeting theBeta variant (B.1.351). Recent scientific evidence shows that antibodies created against the Beta variant may provide broad cross-protection against other more transmissible variants.

The design of the Phase 3 study, conducted across a broad diversity of geographies, also allows evaluation of the efficacy of the candidate against a variety of circulating variants. Sanofi and GSK will also run clinical studies to assess the ability of the adjuvanted recombinant-protein Covid-19 vaccine candidate to generate a strong booster response regardless of the type of vaccine initially received.

The Phase 3 study initiation follows the global interim Phase 2 results which showed that the adjuvanted recombinant Covid-19 vaccine candidate achieved high rates of neutralising antibody responses in all adult age groups, with 95 per cent to100 per cent seroconversion rates. After a single injection, high neutralizing antibody levels were also generated in participants with evidence of prior SARS.

Nepal will receive 10.2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines by mid-October

 Nepal will receive 10.2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines by mid-October, claimed minister of state for Health and Population Umesh Shrestha.

Addressing the House of Representatives (HoR) meeting today, state minister said that Nepal has so far received 10,860,170 doses of Covid-19 vaccines and is going to receive an additional 10.2 million doses by mid-October, and 30.23 million by mid-February, next year. "By February next year, Nepal will have received 50.23 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines."

State Minister Shrestha also maintained that the government has already begun processes to procure Covid-19 vaccines for children and will be inoculating them with the vaccines soon.

Nepal today recorded 3,260 new cases of Covid-19 and 32 deaths. The past one week has seen above 20 per cent infection among the tested, which is more than the previous week.