Ministry of Health spokeswoman Or Vandine has advised the governors of the capital and provinces to continue vaccinations for children and all unvaccinated people ages 6 and up at designated referral hospitals or health centres despite the first round of the official vaccination campaigns having ended on November 1.

Vandine, who also serves as head of the national Covid-19 vaccination committee, also called on all unvaccinated people to get their jabs at the location nearest to their homes in order to protect themselves against Covid-19. She said the commission has noticed that a small number of people have not yet been vaccinated against the disease without any apparent valid medical reasons.

“Bring along your Cambodian ID cards or passports or family or residence books or birth certificates whenever you go get the jabs at any vaccination site,” she said.

She suggested that the governors instruct all health workers at vaccination sites to administer shots to people even if they do not live near that location. They do not need to bring a letter certifying their residence but just some form of ID for registration to get vaccinated.

She also requested that the governors continue to educate people on the benefits of vaccinations and encourage them to get the jabs on a voluntary basis.

Vandine added that vaccinations bolster body’s immune system response against Covid-19 and reduce the chances for severe illness, hospitalisation and deaths if you get infected.

She reiterated her call for people to adhere to preventive measures including the three dos and three don’ts even if they are fully vaccinated.

As of November 1, over 85 per cent of Cambodia’s total population of around 16 million had been vaccinated.

And so far over 26,000 children aged five – or about 8.81 per cent of the more than 300,000 five-year-olds in total – have been vaccinated against Covid-19, just one day into the vaccination campaign for children that age.