High school students wear masks during class at Prek Leap High School in Chroy Changvar district in August. Hong Menea
Prime Minister Hun Sen has issued a reminder to the Kingdom’s schools about their continued responsibility to practise preventative measures and prevent the spread of Covid-19.
He made the remarks as he met with the A grade students from last year’s high school exams.
“This year, the problem of Covid-19 has abated, allowing teachers and students to return to their classrooms and lecture halls. I ask all students and educational staff to continue to do whatever it takes to prevent the transmission of the virus in the schools of the Kingdom. If a case should appear, we will have to work together to curb its spread and protect one another,” he said.
Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed to all teachers and the students to make sure their Covid-19 vaccinations are up to date, as the coronavirus is still circulating.
“We must not let our guard down. In the past, in order to protect the lives of the public, we were forced to close schools to prevent a potentially massive outbreak,” he said.
“Preventive measures remain in place. I hope that you all abide by them and ensure that schools remain places where knowledge is shared, rather than illness,” he added.
Ministry of Health secretary of state Or Vandine, who also serves as head of the national Covid-10 vaccination committee, said that no member of the public should delay getting their booster jabs.
“Booster doses should be administered 4-6 months apart – or three months after recovery from Covid-19. If too much time occurs between shots, the body’s immunity would weaken,” she said.
Vandine advised school committees to continue encouraging their students, teachers and other staff members to receive Covid-19 vaccinations, suggesting that they coordinate with medical teams to arrange on-campus inoculations.
She said the ministry has established Covid-19 vaccination centres in public health facilities across the country for people’s convenience.
“Vaccinations are also available at each referral hospital, so people should find it easy to keep their vaccinations up to date,” she added.
According to the ministry, as of February 1, over 95 per cent of the Kingdom’s estimated population of 16 million have been vaccinated. More than 10.5 million people have received their third dose, with almost five million getting their fourth and 1.5 million receiving their fifth. Over 160,000 people have had their sixth dose.
