Nepal: Restrictions eased in Kathmandu; public transport resumes

The earlier odd-even rule imposed on public transport will not be imposed on vehicles having a capacity of more than 25 seats. Shops were also permitted to open until 6 pm.

“We made the decision after consulting public health experts and other stakeholders. If the number of infections increases, we will once again increase the level of restriction,” Kalpana Ghimire, the assistant chief district officer of Kathmandu, was quoted as saying by The Kathmandu Post.

Restaurants will open their dine-in services from the next week in Kathmandu.

Last week, three transport operators’ groups, including the Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs, had reached the local administration office on Friday with a request to end the restriction on public vehicles.

Dr. Sher Bahadur Pun, a virologist at the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Nepal, however, warned against easing restrictions fully. “There is still a risk. The majority of the people have not been vaccinated,” he said, adding, “By lifting the restrictions, the mobility of people will increase, increasing the risk of virus spread.”

Nepal so far has vaccinated 8.3 percent of its 30 million population, but only 2.4 percent of the population has received both doses.