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By Chantha Lach
PHNOM PENH, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Cambodia started offering
coronavirus vaccine booster shots on Thursday in a renewed
public health drive after managing to inoculate more than half
of its population.
One of Asia's poorest countries, Cambodia is offering the
AstraZeneca vaccine as a third shot to those who have
received the inactivated virus vaccines developed by Sinopharm
and Sinovac, with the aim of bolstering
immunity against the COVID-19 Delta variant.
"This is for all of us to fight together and if all of us
get the vaccination then we can stop the spread," said nurse
Touch Phavana, 56, who was receiving a booster.
"It can prevent severe illnesses for the patients who get
infected, so it is easier for us to treat them or save their
lives."
Cambodia has recorded nearly 84,000 cases and more than
1,600 deaths from the coronavirus.
It has administered at least one vaccine dose to half of its
population https://reut.rs/3m1Qbn3, among the highest rates in
Asia, with vaccine diplomacy playing a key part in its success.
Priorities for the boosters are medical staff, government
employees and frontline workers.
The country has benefited from its relatively small
population of just over 16 million and a low-income status
making it eligible for the COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative.
It has received vaccine donations from regional ally China,
and subsequently, Beijing's geopolitical rivals Japan, Britain
and the United States.
"I hope that when we finish this third dose of vaccines,
then firstly we can reopen the schools for our children to study
in class again, so we get our workforce back," said bank worker
Try Sokhim, 26.
"Second, we can get our tourism industry up again."
(Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
