Overview
COVID-19 and Vaccines in Nepal: The entire world has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal. Likewise, our country is also an outrageous victim of the global pandemic. However, from the pristine hills of Mustang to the plains of the Chitwan Lowland, the virus has dragged us to our knees, whether in our spirits or in the economy.
Similarly, the plan to celebrate 2020 as Visit Nepal 2020 proved futile due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Regarding our country, Nepal is landlocked and surrounded by two mammoth nations, India and China. Nepal is directly on the international borders with both India and China. Being connected to both countries, the country of 30 million inhabitants was exposed, and COVID-19 cases surged mainly for this reason. Thus, Nepal was classified as a high-risk region and the least-prepared country to face this tricky situation and produce its own vaccines. Nepal's government is still providing COVID-19 vaccines to various companies in Nepal.
How Did COVID-19 Start In Nepal, And What Consequences Were Brought?
Nepal is divided into 77 districts and 7 provinces, and data on COVID-19 cases and vaccines are collected separately for each. The first COVID-19 case was seen in a student on January 23, 2020, who had recently traveled from China to Bagmati Province. Still, the student recovered thanks to meticulous isolation at Teku Hospital. Throughout the week, suspects were examined deeply, and there were no active cases during the first week of March. But the inflow of Nepali citizens from abroad made the situation more dreadful, and our country registered its 2nd case through a woman who was traveling from France via Qatar. When the WHO (World Health Organization) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on March 11, that alarming situation induced panic among laypeople in Nepal.
The Nepalese government was compelled to impose a lockdown due to the dire situation. On March 24, 2020, the lockdown was extended nationwide with strict rules and regulations. Everything from government work to education and recreation was halted for an extended period. Similarly, all international flights were canceled, and no travelers, even Nepali citizens, were allowed to enter the country.
The international borders were sealed as well. Also, the Tourism Board of Nepal suspended the issue of trekking permits. Despite the lockdown, our country, Nepal, recorded the first local transmission of COVID-19 in Kailali, and cases were escalating rapidly. The most frightening news arrived May 24 24, 2020, when a 29-year-old female who gave birth to four babies lost her life due to Covid-19. It was confirmed later. This news instilled fear among Nepal's indigenous people, who regarded the novel Coronavirus as a significant threat. But after a few days, the number of active cases rose significantly to 1,000.
In the meantime, the government was making insurmountable efforts to provide various testing kits and amenities. The government established a total of 10 laboratories across all provinces. RDT (Rapid Diagnostic Test) was made available to all districts. In contrast, due to the limited availability of PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), this test was performed on quarantined citizens who had just returned from abroad or on people with evidence of contact tracing.
Thus, by the first week of June, about 100,000 people had been tested using RDT and PCR. The situation was getting much worse daily, and the total active cases hit a figure of 10,000 in June, and the death tally increased to 30. Apart from this, our government officials diligently worked to deport tourists stuck in Nepal to their home countries. In the final week of March, hundreds of foreigners were rescued and transferred to their countries through safe passage.
End Of Lockdown And A Starting Phase Of The New Everyday Life During COVID-19
Some positive news arrived at our doorstep on July 13: 10,000 people had recovered from COVID-19, and the situation was somehow under control. Following the recovery, the government ended the nationwide lockdown on June 21, 2020. To date, about 18,000 positive cases have been recorded; unfortunately, 40 deaths have occurred.
The Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) implemented strict rules and protocols for every sector: Public gatherings should not be allowed, international flights are to be operated with limited frequencies, public transport, business, and hotels should maintain social distancing, the places with more influences of the public like gyms, theatres should remain closed, and the education should be provided through solid safety precautions. Things started to accelerate, and people began to adopt the changes and build a new normal.
Generally, during COVID-19, people on the street were seen wearing protective gear like masks and gloves, and using sanitizers. Handwashing was prevalent to a significant extent. Moreover, the outbreak of the virus brought some abrupt changes in people.
They were also more conscious of their health and eating habits. Despite all this awareness, the active cases spiked up, and the death tally reached 100 in the 2nd week of August 2020. Besides this, the novel Coronavirus brought major threats; the data from Nepali police indicated that no suicide cases increased by about 10 to 20 per day. In an economically unstable country, it is arduous for everyday people to maintain their livelihoods, and they face significant problems, but life goes on no matter what. We have started to live a new daily life.
The Arrival Of Vaccines and the Sudden Rise Of 2nd Variants Of COVID-19.
The New Year brought some rejoicing news in the form of COVID-19 vaccines. While some powerhouses struggled, we were among the first to launch a vaccination campaign. The vaccination campaign began when India provided the AstraZeneca vaccine, the COVID-19 shield. The one million doses were prioritized for frontline health workers, support staff, older adults, and those who were vaccinated, in two phases.
Side by side, the government instituted other vaccines from India and China and promised to vaccinate millions more by late August. After vaccination, testing was limited and performed only on people returning from abroad, and even isolation was practiced in their own homes. The situation seemed somewhat controlled, and laypeople were seen celebrating festivals in public places; gatherings frequently occurred even as film halls began to open to the public.
However, as of May, Nepal was again alarmed when another dominant strain of Coronavirus devastated our adjoining country, India. Due to the open border between the two nations, the second strain of the virus increased, and by the start of April 2021, the total number of cases was overwhelming and reached 300,000, the highest number of cases to date. The government had to impose a lockdown from Kathmandu to other places for April 26 26.
However, the condition was much more adverse than the first strain, as the virus was more contagious. Due to our total dependence on India, we lacked oxygen cylinders and medical supplies. The advent of COVID-19 recently brought chaos to our health system. The hospital beds were occupied, and we lacked oxygen cylinders, ventilators, and other critical equipment.
Deadly consequences were noticed on May 9y 9, 2021. Nine thousand three hundred seventeen cases of COVID were recorded, the highest number of daily cases. Not only that, Nepal surpassed India's mortality rate as well, and on May 17, 2021, the total death toll reached 5,215. However, we managed to address this situation, and the case ratio is decreasing. However, the government has implemented prohibitory orders with various restrictions on July 15ly 15, 2021.
Impact On Tourism Due To COVID-19
The small land of the Himalayas is blessed with mystical natural beauty, a diverse landscape, trekking adventures, snow-capped mountains, and impeccable art, all explored by millions of people across the globe. The heavenly country welcomes thousands of visitors from across the world. Thus, tourism is a significant source of economic growth. Tourism accounts for 8% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and about 1.5 million jobs.
Nepal has welcomed a surreal number of tourists over the past few years, and we hope to attract even more in 2020 through the Visit Nepal 2020 campaign. Unfortunately, we had to cancel that campaign due to the worldwide spread of COVID-19. The abolition of tourism packages has also resulted in the loss of almost 10,000 tourist guide jobs.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, our country incurred a loss of around 3 million in revenue due to the prevailing lockdown. However, after the end of the first lockdown, Boundless Adventure was able to conduct Everest Base Camp Trekking, Everest Helicopter tour, Manaslu Trekking, Upper Mustang trekking, and Culture tour; however, they had to follow the quarantine rule strictly; the visitors stayed in compulsory ten-day quarantine, and after they tested negative, they were allowed to visit the country.
The Overall Scenario Of COVID-19 And Vaccines In Nepal Till Now
The situation is unimaginable to date; around 9,000 people are the prey to this virus, the economy is sinking, people are going through tough times, and the nation is in a state of fallen spirits. However, the government is working to eliminate this lethal virus. It is estimated that 2.61 million people received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Similarly, we have received 1 million doses of COVID Shield from India and 1 million doses of Vero cell from China, which have been administered to about 5% of the total population. Another piece of great news arrived late in July.
The Chinese government pleaded for help with 8 million doses of Vero Cel. On July 12, 2021, the US ambassador handed over about 1.5 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP). It is estimated that around 10 million people will be affected by those available vaccines. Some efforts are also made to entice tourists to our country.
The government lifted the local flight limit in the first week of July, and the number of international flights is going to increase. Citizens of China, India, and Qatar, as well as foreigners, are permitted in Nepal, and additional countries will be added soon. However, travelers must follow strict protocols: they must present a negative PCR test result within 72 hours and proof of vaccination.
Further mandatory 5-7-day quarantine is required for safe travel within the country while you are double-vaccinated. If you are non-COVID-19 vaccinated, you cannot travel to Nepal. There are some positive signs ahead of us to travel freely.
The Sun Will Shine Brightly In The Future :
Lately, we all have gone through the worst period of our lives; we have not been able to enjoy life to the fullest. But these times will eventually end. We will travel more in the serene land of Nepal, and together, we will forget every Low of our lives and rejuvenate again in a small paradise of the world. Still, we have to check out COVID-19 and Vaccines in Nepal.
Nepal Is Open For Travel.
Has anyone been thinking of traveling to Nepal recently? It is open, and you can get an arrival visa at the Nepal airport. You should have double doses of vaccination papers and a PCR report within 72 hours.
However, COVID-19 is already used. There is no longer COVID-19 in Nepal. Many people have already started to travel to Nepal. Everyone gets an arrival visa at the Tribhuvan International Airport. Please get in touch with us for more information about COVID-19 and Vaccines in Nepal.