We are not in the mindset to impose another lockdown: Minister of Health 

KATHMANDU: Minister for Health and Population Hridayesh Tripathi has made it clear that the government is not in the mood to impose another lockdown due to COVID-19. 

Speaking at the ‘Nepal Health Conclave 2021’ held in Kathmandu on Tuesday, Minister Tripathi said that Nepal will never go into another lockdown. He said the government was ready to take all effective steps that should be done before imposing a lockdown. 

He said that the government was not in the mood to go for lockdown as it would have a long-term impact on social life and economy even though lockdown may reduce the number of infections.

Minister Tripathi said, “We do not want Nepal to go into a state of stagnation again. The government is ready to take all the important and effective steps before the lockdown. Because the reduction is on the one hand, but the impact on people’s livelihoods and the impact on society, the impact on the economy, the impact on social life will be long-term. As the entire world is battling with the pandemic, Nepal is ready to deal with this accordingly.” 

Minister Tripathi also said that Nepal has started antigen testing at the border checkpoints due to the new wave of COVID in neighboring countries. Stating that isolation and quarantine are being constructed at the border, he urged everyone not to be terrorized by COVID.

He added, “We are on the alert because of the growing situation in our neighborhood. But one thing I would like to humbly request here is that there is no need to panic. To be terrified is to add to this infection. We have to be careful, we have to be vigilant, we have to take all precautionary measures, but we don’t have to intimidate people by terrorizing them.” 

At present, 81 types of vaccines are being developed all over the world and out of them, 13 vaccines have already come into use. Nepal has also introduced three types of vaccines. He also said that a vaccination campaign through a grant from the Chinese government  will start from Wednesday.