As many as 2,656 essential workers have been immunised on Wednesday with the Covid-19 vaccine provided by China under a grant assistance.

Essential workers include postal and telephone service providers, public transportation workers, water supply and distribution staff, tourism sector—hotels and restaurants—employees, and workers engaged in production, sales and distribution of medicines, electricity supply, storage and transportation of consumer goods.

Health workers who missed out in the first phase of vaccination that began on January 27 can also get the Chinese jabs.

The Health Ministry said that apart from those working in essential sectors defined by the government, businessmen and truck drivers who need to travel to China frequently have also taken the jabs.

Nepali students pursuing higher degrees in China but stuck in Nepal due to the pandemic will also get the jabs, according to Dr Jhalak Gautam, chief of National Immunisation Programme.

China recently introduced vaccination passports for travellers to prove that they are free from the coronavirus infection. It has been reported that China is resuming visa processing for foreigners if they have been inoculated against the coronavirus with Chinese vaccines.

The vaccines is being administered at Bir Hospital, Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital, Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, Civil Hospital, National Ayurveda Research and Training Centre, Nepal Medical College, Kathmandu Medical College, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre, Birendra Hospital (Army Hospital), APF Hospital, Nepal Police Hospital, Om Hospital and Research Centre and Chhetrapati Free Clinic in Kathmandu.

Patan Hospital, KIST Medical College and Anandaban Hospital in Lalitpur; Bhaktapur Hospital and Nepal-Korea Friendship Municipality Hospital of Bhaktapur, Dhulikhel Hospital of Kavrepalanchok, Trishuli Hospital of Nuwakot, District Hospital Rasuwa and Barhabise Hospital of Sindhupalchok will provide the immunisation service.

China had given 800,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine, the BBIBP-CorV developed by Sinopharm, an affiliate of the state-backed pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm, in grant. The vaccines arrived in Kathmandu last Monday.

According to a report published in The Lancet, inactivated BBIBP-CorV Covid-19 vaccine is safe and well tolerated.

On December 30 last year, Sinopharm announced the vaccine's efficacy at 79 percent, which was lower than the 86 percent efficacy announced by the United Arab Emirates on December 9.