There are currently only five provinces that have yet to complete their vaccination campaigns against Covid-19, while the capital and 19 provinces have wrapped up their large-scale vaccination efforts, though they continue to offer the jabs to individuals on an ongoing basis at selected sites.

The Ministry of Health said the vaccination campaign for adults was creeping closer to its goal of 10 million people vaccinated. As of September 28, a total of 9,894,006 people aged 18 and over, or 98.94 per cent, had been fully vaccinated.

Overall, Cambodia has vaccinated over 13 million people out of its total population of approximately 16 million, or about 82.96 per cent.

Or Vandine, health ministry spokeswoman and head of the national Covid-19 vaccination committee, said on September 29 that the progress of vaccinations in Cambodia was moving slowly but steadily towards its goal.

“Phnom Penh and 19 provinces have completed their vaccination campaigns and only five provinces – Kampot, Kampong Speu, Kampong Chhnang, Battambang and Banteay Meanchey – haven’t quite yet, but we continue to urge the officials and residents of these five provinces to push forward and cross the finish line,” she said.

She added that the five provinces would likely all achieve their goals and close their vaccination campaigns at some point in October. Almost everyone in those five provinces has been vaccinated already, except for some who live in remote areas.

“There are still about 70,000 out of the 10 million adults who have not been vaccinated due to health conditions and some who must wait because they were infected with Covid-19,” she said.

With booster shots set to start in October for the general public, Vandine confirmed that those who were vaccinated against Covid-19 in the red zones by the military medical teams from the Ministry of National Defence will be able to return to those same sites for their booster shots.

“The military medical personnel have management systems in place already and they have vaccination cards for those who didn’t get one previously. Therefore, those who were vaccinated earlier by the medics will be given their booster shots by them,” she said.