Restrictions lifted as covid cases decrease

COVID cases have been declining for the past few days with the daily cases hovering around 1000-1500 cases per day in the country. Monitoring the COVID situation closely, Covid-19 Control and Management Center (CCMC) and District administration offices of Kathmandu, Lalitpur including Bhaktapur has revoked the odd-even rule for private vehicles too. Earlier, the three DAOs had abolished the odd-even rule (vehicles with odd number plates on odd dates and even numbers on even dates) for public vehicles only. Ban on political rallies and mass meetings will, however, continue till further notice.

Similarly, the CCMC and the Valley DAOs have also decided to reopen all education institutions, including schools and colleges, from February 13 by following health safety protocols. The Educational institutions are also allowed to conduct exams from February 13 by maintaining health safety protocols for the students aged 12 and above. However, in the case of students below the age of 12, the administration has also ordered schools to reopen classes in rotation or shift system as per the notice.

Shopping malls and other businesses are also allowed to reopen adhering to ensure that there are not more than 50 people at a time while those who visit such places should produce COVID immunization certificates when requested. Party venues are allowed to admit up to 100 fully-vaccinated people at a time, while cinema halls, swimming pools, gyms, and stadiums can also carry out their businesses from February 13 by following health safety protocols. Restaurants can open, while they will have to serve only fully-vaccinated customers. Similarly, all religious places can open ensuring they that there are not more than 50 worshippers at a time depending on the space. .

On the vaccination front, we understand that a supply of 6.2m Pfizer doses from COVAX may start from March as stated by the officials of the Ministry of Health and Population. The vaccine will be supplied in several phases. Officials have further viewed that they are also working to purchase 8.4 million doses of Pfizer vaccine for children between five and eleven years of age. Earlier, Nepal had received 100,620 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine in October and 664,560 doses in December, from the facility. Officials however have confirmed that due to the limited storage capacity, Nepal will request COVAX to supply the vaccine in several phases.

Nepal has inoculated more than 44 percent of the citizens with a full dose of the vaccine till date. With the declining of cases day by day including the vaccination program in full swing, we believe that the cases will be much lower in the next few weeks.