The second batch with 668,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine donated by the Japanese government touched down at Phnom Penh International Airport at 8:30 on August 6.

They are part of the one million doses Japan has pledged for Cambodia. The first batch of 332,000 doses arrived in Cambodia on July 23 and was welcomed by Pirme Minister Hun Sen and Japanese ambassador to Cambodia Masahiro Mikami.

Mikami said at the time that the donation is part of Japan’s effort to the global fight against Covid-19.

The second shipment came the same day prime minister instructed Or Vandine, the head of the national Covid-19 vaccination commission, to start administering the third dose using the AstraZeneca vaccine over the next few days for frontline workers in the provinces bordering Thailand – Koh Kong, Pursat, Battambang, Pailin, Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear.

“This task must be performed post-haste,” he said, adding that there are between 30,000-40,000 frontline workers, including medical staff and military personnel.