Cambodia will be divided into three sections for vaccination purposes: high priority areas, medium priority areas and low priority areas. Heng Chivoan
The government has introduced a “strategic plan for Covid-19 vaccination campaign to build socio-economic resilience in Cambodia by 2021” in a bid to accelerate the vaccination of all people aged 18 and over in high-priority areas.
According to the strategic planning document The Post obtained on May 6, the implementation of the plan will be carried out in accordance with the “blossom” approach, meaning that it will start with a vaccination campaign in the central area of the country and work outwards.
The campaign will start with Phnom Penh – which is roughly centrally located in the country and an area of obvious concern as the largest city – and the main urban areas around the capital and in Kandal, gradually expanding to other areas in the order of prioritisation.
Cambodia will be divided into three sections for vaccination purposes: high priority areas, medium priority areas and low priority areas.
“According to the ‘blossom’ approach the national vaccination campaign in high-priority areas must be completed in 2021 and as soon as possible,” the document noted.
The high-priority areas are made up of 70 districts throughout the country, including Phnom Penh and Kandal as a whole, as well as economically important areas in Sihanoukville, Banteay Meanchey’s Poipet district, Svay Rieng’s Bavet district and all provincial capitals of the main provinces and districts around Kandal province.
The total number of people aged 18 and over living in those areas is 4.9 million – accounting for 48.57% of the population over the age of 18 throughout the entire country, according to the document.
“Thus, vaccinating all people over the age of 18 in these high-priority areas will create overall socio-economic resilience for the whole country,” the document noted.
Medium priority areas include 64 districts across the country and the total number of people aged 18 and over living in those areas is 2.8 million.
Low priority areas cover 69 districts across the country and a total of 2.3 million people aged 18 and over are living in those areas.
Cambodia is expected to receive an additional 7 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines from May to July and another 2.5 million doses from August to September.
“The expected number of vaccines is sufficient to achieve the national Covid-19 vaccination campaign goals in high-priority areas aimed at building socio-economic resilience in Cambodia in 2021,” said the document.
