More China-donated COVID-19 vaccines arrive in Cambodia as kingdom looks to reopen economy

An airport worker transports packages of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine at Phnom Penh International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Oct. 14, 2021. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua)

-- A total of 28.5 million doses, or 75.8 percent, were Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines procured from China, and 6.3 million doses, equivalent of 16.7 percent, were donated by China to Cambodia.

-- As of Oct. 13, the country had administered at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines to 13.5 million people, or 84 percent of its 16-million population

-- With its high vaccination rate, Cambodia is considering resuming its nationwide economic activities soon including tourism, manufacturing, construction and other SMEs business.

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- A new batch of 2 million doses of China-donated Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Cambodia on Thursday as the Southeast Asian nation has planned to reopen its socio-economic activities in all areas by year's end.

"It's a new batch of 2 million doses of Sinovac vaccine, which is donated by the Chinese government to the Cambodian government," Cambodian Ministry of Health (MoH) secretary of state Yok Sambath told reporters at the Phnom Penh International Airport.

"This donation is a new testament to the unbreakable ironclad friendship between Cambodia and China," she said.

To date, Cambodia has received a total of 37.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from three sources through bilateral procurement, the World Health Organization (WHO)'s COVAX Facility, and donations.

A total of 28.5 million doses, or 75.8 percent, were Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines procured from China, and 6.3 million doses, equivalent of 16.7 percent, were donated by China to Cambodia, according to the MoH.

An airport worker transports packages of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine at Phnom Penh International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Oct. 14, 2021. (Photo by Ly Lay/Xinhua)

Cambodia launched a COVID-19 vaccination drive in February. As of Oct. 13, the country had administered at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines to 13.5 million people, or 84 percent of its 16-million population, the MoH said.

Of them, 12.1 million, or 75.8 percent, had been fully vaccinated with both required shots, and 1.14 million, or 7.17 percent, had received a third dose or booster dose, it added.

Sambath said that thanks to its high vaccination coverage, the kingdom is expected to reopen its borders for fully vaccinated foreign tourists by the end of this year.

Government chief spokesman Phay Siphan said the country has seen a "great success" in its vaccinations against COVID-19 thanks to the wise leadership of Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and the strong support from China.

"I can say that our joint COVID-19 fight should serve as a role model for international cooperation," he told Xinhua.

People come for their third dose or booster dose of China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine at an inoculation site in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Oct. 14, 2021. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua)

World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Cambodia Li Ailan said the WHO has seen the impacts of Cambodia's COVID-19 vaccinations, which helped the reductions of severe disease, hospitalizations, and deaths among those fully vaccinated.

"Cambodia's high vaccination coverage provides a good basis for reopening economy and society safely and responsibly," she said.

"However, COVID19 vaccination alone is not enough. We need a good combination of vaccination, public health and social measures, and health care capacity," she added.

Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Mekong Center for Strategic Studies of the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, said Cambodia ranked the second in ASEAN for the highest number of COVID-19 vaccinations, behind only to Singapore.

"With its high vaccination rate, Cambodia is considering resuming its nationwide economic activities soon including tourism, manufacturing, construction and other SMEs business," he told Xinhua.

"The plans would help rejuvenate national growth and resilience, enhance social development and promote business-friendly activities for future foreign investment from both regional and international contexts," he added.

A woman receives her third dose or booster dose of China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine at an inoculation site in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Oct. 14, 2021. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua)

Sar Lina is a 30-year-old hairdresser in Phnom Penh. Lina and her husband had so far received three doses of Sinovac vaccine, and her two children, aged six and 10, had been fully vaccinated with two shots of Sinovac jab.

"My job is at high risk of catching this disease because I'm in close contact with customers every day, so the vaccine is really essential to protecting my life," she told Xinhua. "I feel quite safe now after having received a booster dose with Sinovac vaccine."

Lina said she's totally confident in the safety, quality and efficacy of the Sinovac vaccine in protecting her life and family from this highly contagious disease.

"I hope that with its high vaccination rates, Cambodia will be able to reopen its socio-economic activities in all domains in the near future," she said.

Cambodia confirmed 268 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, pushing the national total caseload to 115,875, the MoH said, adding that 25 more fatalities had been recorded, bringing the overall death toll to 2,582.