A senior health official calls on people to take Covid-19 rapid tests on their own if they have suspicious symptoms, as this could prevent transmission and allow for timely treatment.

Or Vandine, Ministry of Health spokeswoman and head of the National Covid-19 vaccination committee, warned on January 18 that Covid-19 is far from over as new sub-variants are circulating in the world and the region.

“In order to help take care of your health and get treatment on time as well as protect others from Covid-19, if you have suspicious symptoms, please don’t forget to hurry to take a rapid test on your own,” she said.

She continued that if their test was positive, they must self-isolate until they get a negative test result to avoid passing it on to their family members and others. They must take care and treat it on their own as soon as possible to reduce transmission and hospitalisations.

Vandine stated that during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, all people have to remain vigilant and implement Covid-19 preventive measures such as getting Covid-19 boosters when it is their turn.

“Please don’t forget to take a rapid test on your own to save your own life and get timely treatment. Taking a rapid test and getting treatment is a good means to help save your life from the shadowy Covid-19 enemy,” she said.

While inspecting the progress of the construction of the National Techo Peace Hospital in Kouk Roka commune in Phnom Penh’s Prek Pnov district on January 19, Hun Sen also renewed his call for people to continue to protect themselves against Covid-19.

The hospital will have space for up to 9,593 beds across 11 buildings for anyone requiring inpatient treatment. Conceived of at the peak of the pandemic originally as a facility for treating Covid-19 patients, the hospital is slated to open in mid-2023.