The single-dose Janssen vaccines provided by the United States government have arrived in Kathmandu. The Janssen Ad26.CoV2.S vaccine, which is a single-dose vaccine, is manufactured by American pharmaceuticals giant Johnson & Johnson.
The vaccines which were brought to Nepal via a regular flight of Qatar Airways were handed over by the American Ambassador to Nepal, Randy Berry, to Minister of Health and Population Krishna Gopal Shrestha at the Tribhuvan International Airport.
While receiving the vaccines, Minister Shrestha expressed his gratitude to the American people and the US government for this life-saving gift. He informed that the vaccines that have been gifted by the United States will be provided to people between 50 and 54 years. The minister added that the vaccination drive will be started soon.
Nepal has received over 1.5 million doses of the Janssen vaccine from the United States as a gift through the COVAX facility of the United Nations.
While handing over the vaccines Ambassador Berry mentioned that the vaccines were a gift from the US government. He added that the American government will not be involved in selling vaccines to use them as a political tool.
As per the World Health Organisation, the Janssen Ad26.CoV2.S was found to have an efficacy of 85.4 per cent against severe disease and 93.1 per cent against hospitalisation 28 days after inoculation.
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