Vandine: Covid jab drive set to wrap up ahead of schedule

Vandine: Covid jab drive set to wrap up ahead of schedule

A senior Ministry of Health official said Covid-19 vaccinations for people aged six and over are expected to wrap up ahead of schedule.

As of September 25, Cambodia had vaccinated 98.70 per cent of the adult population of 10 million and 88.87 per cent of the 12-17 age group of nearly two million, according to the ministry’s report. Vaccinations for the 6-11 age group of more than 1.8 million had surpassed 70 per cent.

Or Vandine, ministry spokeswoman and head of the national Covid-19 vaccination committee, said during a ceremony marking the end of the first round of jab drive in Siem Reap province on September 26 that if everything goes as planned with the efforts by the sub-national authorities, she expects that vaccinations for adults will reach the goal of 10 million in October.

“Compared to what we had planned, we will be able to end vaccinations ahead of schedule for adults. We have also sped up the vaccinations for children aged 6-11 and for the 12-17 age group,” she said.

Vandine said Prime Minister Hun Sen had procured more than 35 million vaccine doses so far, both through purchases and donations. Three million doses of Sinovac vaccines arrived on September 24 with another three million scheduled to arrive this week.

“Vaccinating people against Covid-19 is vital because it creates a stronger immune system response with more antibodies to fight the virus and it will prevent severe conditions, reduce hospitalisations and deaths and the spread of the disease,” she quoted the prime minister as saying.

The primary result achieved by vaccinations in Cambodia, she added, was the reduction of hospitalisations and mortality rate from the disease to a manageable level.

As of September 24, Phnom Penh and 14 provinces have completed their first round of Covid-19 vaccinations for adults – Preah Sihanouk, Kep, Pailin, Koh Kong, Svay Rieng, Oddar Meanchey, Pursat, Takeo, Kampong Cham, Ratanakkiri, Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear, Stung Treng and Siem Reap. Phnom Penh Post