Cambodia has initiated a Covid-19 vaccination campaign for six to 12-year-olds, despite the fact that the vaccine has not yet been approved by the World Health Organization for children under 12.
According to Prime Minister Hun Sen, about 1.9 million children between the ages of 6 and 12 will be vaccinated, bringing the total number of targeted people to more than 14.6 million, or 91 percent of the total population of 16 million.
"The vaccination for children today is a key step to herd immunity in communities," said Prime Minister Hun Sen. "Children are like bamboo shoots. If the health of children is damaged now, we won't have good bamboos."
He also stressed the importance of vaccinating both teachers and students and urged parents to get their children and grandchildren vaccinated as soon as possible to keep them safe from the deadly virus.
“We need to take advanced steps to protect our children so that they can receive health care and get into school safely, both teachers and students in primary school,” he said.
This has come a few weeks after Cambodia’s government also launched a booster program for some selected citizens. As of September 16, more than 11.5 million people have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 10 million have been fully vaccinated, according to the Ministry of Health. More than 800,000 people have also received a booster shot for the vaccine, which the prime minister said he considered impressive compared to some other countries.
Hun Sen said that Cambodia would receive a total of 9 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine this September, including 3 million doses donated from China and 6 million doses purchased. He said that Australia had also pledged 2.3 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
According to Prime Minister Hun Sen, about 1.9 million children between the ages of 6 and 12 will be vaccinated, bringing the total number of targeted people to more than 14.6 million, or 91 percent of the total population of 16 million.
"The vaccination for children today is a key step to herd immunity in communities," said Prime Minister Hun Sen. "Children are like bamboo shoots. If the health of children is damaged now, we won't have good bamboos."
He also stressed the importance of vaccinating both teachers and students and urged parents to get their children and grandchildren vaccinated as soon as possible to keep them safe from the deadly virus.
“We need to take advanced steps to protect our children so that they can receive health care and get into school safely, both teachers and students in primary school,” he said.
This has come a few weeks after Cambodia’s government also launched a booster program for some selected citizens. As of September 16, more than 11.5 million people have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 10 million have been fully vaccinated, according to the Ministry of Health. More than 800,000 people have also received a booster shot for the vaccine, which the prime minister said he considered impressive compared to some other countries.
Hun Sen said that Cambodia would receive a total of 9 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine this September, including 3 million doses donated from China and 6 million doses purchased. He said that Australia had also pledged 2.3 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
