KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 18

The government has approved the 'Vero Cell' vaccine manufactured by Beijing Institute of Biological Products Co Ltd (BIBP), China, under Sinopharm, for emergency use against Covid-19 in Nepal.

The Department of Drug Administration (DDA), under the Ministry of Health and Population, took a decision on the usage of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, Inactivated, on Wednesday.

Each 0.5 ml vaccine solution for injection contains 6.5 U of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 antigen. The route of vaccine administration is intramuscular.

Earlier last month, first phase of Covid-19 vaccination drive began in Nepal, following the arrival of vaccines from India, through Indian government's Vaccine Maitri programme. India had sent 1 million doses of Covishield vaccine to Nepal, in grant. Covishield is the local name for the India-manufactured Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine developed in the UK.