Kathmandu, April 4 -- Amid a sharp rise in new cases of coronavirus infections, the Ministry of Health and Population has decided to administer vaccines gifted by China to essential workers from April 7.

"We have decided to administer the vaccine to people providing essential services from April 7," Dr Jhalak Gautam, chief of the National Immunisation Programme, told the Post. "The vaccine will be administered only from hospitals of Kathmandu Valley for now."

Essential workers include those working in postal and telephone services, public transportation services, water supply and distribution, tourism sector-hotels and restaurants-production, sales and distribution of medicines, electricity supply, storage and transportation of consumer...