The arrival of more than 410,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine donated by the UK, which was originally scheduled for August 4, has been postponed to August 5.

The British embassy in Phnom Penh told The Post on August 4 that the vaccines were delayed by technical problems on the plane. “These vaccines will arrive in Cambodia on the evening of August 5 at 2pm.”

Hun Sen said on August 1 at the launch of the Covid-19 vaccination campaign for the 12-17 age group that if nothing changes, he will personally receive the vaccines as they are donated under a bilateral aid framework.

The prime minister was responding to criticisms about his presence during the handover of vaccines donated by all other countries but the US. He explained that he only personally receives vaccines donated as aid through a bilateral framework.

For vaccines donated through the World Health Organisation-led Covax Facility, he would assign a minister.

He went on to mention the five main factors that lead to the planned vaccinations for the nearly two million children and adolescents in addition to the 10-million adult population as soon as November of this year.

The five factors, he said, include good leadership, clear vaccines supply sources, immediate provision of cash assistance and human resources, and public participation in getting vaccinated and supporting this campaign.

He also noted that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines will be administered to people as a third, booster dose to guard against the coronavirus Delta variant.

Four countries have donated vaccines to Cambodia thus far – China, Japan, the US and England.

As of August 2, the vaccination campaign is 74.18 per cent completed towards its goal of vaccinating 10 million adults and 4.05 per cent completed towards the goal of vaccinating 1,966,931 children and adolescents.