The national Covid-19 vaccination committee has called on all citizens not to discriminate against the different makes of vaccines available as it is more important that they receive any of them rather than go unprotected.

Or Vandine, Ministry of Health spokeswoman who also chairs the committee, said Covid-19 vaccines remained an important tool for defence against the virus and can prevent serious illness or death even if certain variants like Omicron are able to infect those who are already vaccinated.

All of the patients infected with Omicron in Cambodia are in stable condition and most are asymptomatic or have minor symptoms with some having already recovered, she added.

“Some people seem to be discriminating against the vaccines available, saying a certain make is good or the other one is bad. But I would like to say that whoever the vaccines manufacturer happens to be, if it is on the emergency list of the World Health Organisation (WHO), then it will be of sufficient quality and effectiveness,” she said.

Vandine further explained the benefits of using vaccines on the WHO’s emergency use list and emphasised that vaccination with any of them is far preferable to going unvaccinated.

Prime Minister Hun Sen stated that Cambodia had vaccinated more than 15 million of the estimated 16 million population with at least a first coronavirus jab.

“We have launched our third and fourth booster shots campaigns nationwide and there has been overwhelming public support for vaccinations, despite propaganda campaigns by ignorant groups who don’t care if they destroy the wellbeing of the Cambodian people,” she said, apparently referring to unnamed opposition politicians.

Separately, 10 ambulances and more than 80,000 rapid tests were handed over by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to the health ministry on January 12.

Ministry secretary of state Youk Sambath said the Korean government and people have always supported Cambodia with both technology and funding for the Kingdom’s healthcare sector.