ITAHARI, July 19: Student leaders of Sunsari district have urged the government to ensure fast distribution of vaccination to all students and academic professionals working for upcoming examinations.
Nepal's largest university, Tribhuvan University has announced resuming examinations from mid-July. Students' leaders are weary of possible COVID-19 outbreak among exam-appearing students and staff.
''Unvaccinated examinees have a high risk of infecting and transmitting coronavirus. Therefore, they need early jabs before appearing in their scheduled exams this month,'' demanded Mandip Bhattarai, the district chair of Nepal Students Union. Bhattarai said the available vaccines must be prioritized among examinees, teachers, guards, administrative staff and all others who are at the forefront of all upcoming examinations.
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He added, ''Vaccination before examination is urgently required for the safety of all not just for those involved in the examination process as it is said that no-one is safe until everyone is safe in times of this pandemic.'' Bhattarai cautioned about possible Delta variant outbreak from examination centres.
GB Gazal, the central committee member of All Nepal National Free Students' Union (ANNFSU) seconded Bhattarai. ''Government needs to prioritize all exam-related people as frontline people for the vaccination drive,'' Gazal said. ''As the number of exam-appearing students is not so big, government must prioritize them for the vaccination program.''
Gazal expressed vented anger against the government for failing to list students and teachers as frontline people during the nationwide vaccination campaign.
''From the very beginning students are among those who fall in the least vaccinated group. This is an unacceptable gesture from governmental authority,'' Gazal said. ''This time, we have heard that more vaccines are coming from abroad. Students must be given first priority.''
