By Purushottam P. Khatri
Kathmandu, Jan. 8: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba Friday directed the frontline workers of the concerned bodies, including those working in the health sector and security bodies to expedite COVID-19 inoculation and begin a campaign to administer booster jabs.
Chairing the first meeting of the COVID-19 Crisis Management Coordination Centre (CCMC) held after a surge in the cases of COVID-19 in the country, Prime Minister Deuba instructed the officials to intensify the vaccination drive and arrange booster dose to those who had already received two doses of the vaccines.

Talking to The Rising Nepal, Sunita Nepal, Joint Secretary and spokesperson for the CCMC, said that in the meeting, Prime Minister Deuba directed the officials to intensify works to generate public awareness about COVID-19, intensify the vaccination campaign, provide early booster dose for the needy, manage oxygen in hospitals and expedite the construction of holding centres in the border areas.
She said that the officials of the Ministry of Health apprised the Prime Minister of the spread of the new variant (Omicron), the upcoming strategies and preparations.

"The latest situation was discussed in today's meeting, but no decision was taken about implementing the smart lockdown," said Nepal.
In the meeting, it was decided to direct the District COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre (DCCMC) to proceed according to the procedure of the smart lockdown considering the risk situation at the local level. As per the decision of the Centre, now the local DCCMC will take necessary decision by assessing the risk situation in its area.

"Initially, there may be measures to reduce and discourage mass assemblies of people, such as schools and theatres and night clubs," she said. If the infection increases even after that, we may go for smart lockdown,” she said.
She also urged the passengers coming from India and other countries to abide by the rule of the10-day quarantine as citizens’ duty.
CCMC Chief and Secretary Ram Prasad Thapaliya said that the meeting
would propose the Council of Ministers to take a specific decision as another CCMC meeting was likely on coming Sunday or Monday.

The next CCMC meeting might make a recommendation to the Cabinet," Thapaliya said. The Prime Minister, who is also the CCMC chairman, convened the meeting on Friday after 24 new Omicron cases were confirmed in Nepal.
Meanwhile, talking to journalists after the meeting at Singha Durbar, Minister for Health Birodh Khatiwada said that the border would be tightened now.

He said, “We are tightening the border points. We will keep the infected people in the holding centres built by our security bodies by increasing their capacity.”
He said that the construction of holding centres with a capacity to hold one thousand persons each in all provinces has reached the final stage. “We make them suitable to live in as soon as possible. We will manage living expenses for those kept in the holding centres,” said Minister Khatiwada.

According to him, those coming from abroad will undergo tests at the airport and border points.
As per the instruction of the Prime Minister, the Health Ministry will begin to administer booster dose from mid-January, he added.