Almost sixty per cent of the total population has been vaccinated so far. Looking at this, the health minister says the target of vaccinating at least eighty per cent of the country’s population to achieve herd immunity is looking highly achievable.
She added the plan now is to inoculate children below eighteen years of age which comprises thirty per cent of the total population.
Around four hundred fifty thousand people have been vaccinated so far since the second nationwide vaccination campaign began last week. Inoculation of children between twelve to seventeen years in high-risk areas began on July 22.
The home-based vaccination for people with mobility issues also started on Saturday.
“As of now as you know I think almost ninety-nine per cent of our eligible population as of today have received its first doses and then as of today around 86 % of the eligible population has received its second dose. Now, if we look at the overall coverage as a total population, proportion of the total population then we have vaccinated around 59% of our total population as of today,” said the health minister, Dechen Wangmo.
The health minister says vaccinating children between twelve to seventeen years will help the country achieve its target of obtaining herd immunity. She added the ministry will also discuss the recent approval of the Moderna vaccine for children between twelve and seventeen years.
“I know that the EU has issued emergency authorization use but yet again we have our own internal country authority the DRA will also have to issue clearance and we are yet to see the clearance from DRA at this point,” added the health minister.
The ministry plans to submit its propositions to the National COVID-19 Task Force regarding the relaxation of restrictions only after the targeted coverage is achieved.
Kinzang Lhadon
Edited by Yeshi Gyaltshen
