The additional doses of the Covishield vaccine from India are expected to arrive in the country by the mid of next month. The first consignment of 150,000 doses reached on 20th January. As per the government, Bhutan would require close to 400,000 more doses to vaccinate the entire eligible population.
At the Meet the Press session yesterday, Foreign Minister Dr. Tandi Dorji said the mass vaccination programme will be rolled out within five days of the arrival of the vaccine. Lyonpo said Bhutan will receive 400,000 doses of Covidshield from India in the second lot.
“We need to keep a two to three months gap between the two-dose. 550,000 doses for the second round will arrive in the country from India by May or June. We have received a letter from the COVAX facility stating that they will send 108,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. But we are not sure when it will arrive. We are expecting that it will arrive within a month or two,” said Dr. Tandi Dorji, the Foreign Affairs Minister.
The minister said the COVAX facility will also provide 5,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. At the same time, the government will also procure the vaccine separately.
“For 16 to 17-year-old, we have ordered Pfizer. But we are not sure when it will arrive but they reassured us that it will arrive by the second half of 2021,” Lyonpo added.
According to the health minister, the vaccine drive is expected to start after the month-long dana or inauspicious month which ends on 13th March.
Tshering Zam/Pema Seldon Tshering/Yeshi Dorji
