KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A shipment of 1.5 million doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccine donated by the United States arrived Monday in Nepal, which is struggling to inoculate its population against the coronavirus.
“Today’s delivery of the single-dose vaccine means that this single donation is enough to protect over 1.5 million people in Nepal,” U.S. Ambassador Randy Berry said at Kathmandu airport.
The U.S. is also donating vaccines to several other Asian countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
Health Minister Krishna Gopal Shrestha said the shipment, obtained through the U.N.-backed COVAX vaccine facility, would be given to people between the ages of 50 and 54.
Though situated between India and China, which are among the biggest producers of vaccines, Nepal has been struggling to obtain doses.
It began its vaccination campaign in January, but…
