Oxford-AstraZeneca to be administered as booster dose of Covishield

June 8, Kathmandu: The Government of Nepal(GoN) has decided to provide the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine as an alternative to the booster dose of the Covishield vaccine.

As the Serum Institute of India and the COVAX Facility expressed inability to supply an additional quantity of Covishield vaccines to Nepal for the time being the Nepali government decided to use the alternatives.

The Health Ministry officials have said the AstraZeneca vaccine could be administered as the booster dose of Covishield as both vaccines have the same composition.

However, the GoN has not fixed the schedule for the booster dose.

The booster dose, also known as the second dose,  can be administered after 12-16 weeks of getting the first shot.