A woman gets vaccinated against Covid-19 in Siem Reap province on July 17. SIEM REAP PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION
The Kingdom’s vaccination drive reached six million people on July 19, equal to 60 per cent of the targeted 10 million adult population.
“The six millionth person who has received their jab is Theng Soeun, 67, a farmer in Ta Ong commune’s Ta Ong village of Kampong Cham province’s Chamkar Leu district. I congratulate her,” Hun Sen said in a Facebook post.
He said Ministry of Health spokeswoman Or Vandine will bring the six millionth vaccinee 10 million riel ($2,500) and other donations.
“With this achievement, individuals and families have used common sense and come together to prevent the transmission of the virus. This is the most necessary factor to prevent large-scale community transmission, if we do not want to see a public health tragedy or continued damage to the economy,” Vandine tweeted on July 17.
She had previously said the vaccines are a weapon to help provide a strong immune system response to Covid-19 though vaccinations alone may not protect everyone.
“In some countries where more people are vaccinated than in our country, the invasion of Covid-19 continues due to widespread transmission of the Delta variant.
“But what has been observed is that the illness [in vaccinated people] is not very severe, hospital admissions decrease and death rates decline. That is the point of the vaccines, so we all should volunteer to get vaccinated,” she said.
The government plans to complete the vaccination programme for the 10 million adults across the country by October or early November of this year.
Now vaccination campaigns are underway in all of the provinces, while Phnom Penh completed its campaign on July 8.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced that Cambodia also plans to vaccinate children ages 12 to 17. He called on parents of the age group in Phnom Penh and the provinces of Kandal and Preah Sihanouk to get them ready for vaccinations soon, though it will be on a voluntary basis.
“There is a need to vaccinate children and youths aged 12 to 17. According to the statistics provided by [Minister of Economy and Finance] Aun Pornmoniroth, there are ... around two million children and youths, so we need around four million more doses,” he said in an audio address to the nation on July 16.
“I’ve already told them to procure more vaccines. So far, the number of vaccines we have received and are expected to receive is 22 million. And if we count vaccines that will come through donations [as pledged], we will have more than 31 million.
