Cambodia’s success and experience in its vaccine rollout provides an important opportunity to learn for future pandemic preparedness, said Dr Li Ailan, representative of the World Health Organization in Cambodia.

“It is a unique opportunity to establish and strengthen the Cambodian national immunization programme to target both childhood and adult vaccinations in the future. We  really hope that both fully-vaccinated and unvaccinated people will not relax Covid-19 preventive measures and that they are able to make the right choices to continue to fight as the pandemic is not over and the Delta variant can sometimes spread quickly and silently.

“We do not want to reverse our good progress in Cambodia in our fight by everyone. I need to think a bit more as ending the pandemic is a complex global effort,” said Dr Ailan.

She added that the impressive vaccination programmes initiated  in Cambodia definitely help reduce severe disease, hospitalisation and death. The evidence shows much less severe disease,  hospitalisation and deaths among those fully vaccinated.

“It is so crucial not to let the health care system be overwhelmed,” Dr Ailan said, adding that the high coverage and vaccinating all the vulnerable groups in all the provinces together with  implementing targeted public health and social measures helps protect the health care system.

“Vaccinations alone are not enough to help us to move towards living with the virus. In addition to vaccinations, the business sector and other parts of our society are learning how to manage Covid-19 risks,” she said.

Dr Ailan pointed out  that there is no  zero risk and it is anticipated that school children may get  infected in their community or schools. The  most important thing is to anticipate such possibilities and take action now to reduce risks through preventive measures, early detection and fast response to any Covid-19 event.

While praising C a m b o d i a ’ s “remarkable” vaccine rollout, she cautioned those who have been inoculated not to slip into “vaccine optimism”.

She told Khmer Times that the behaviour has been observed in the Kingdom and warned that it is dangerous.

“We do not want to reverse our good progress in Cambodia in our fight by everyone. I need to think a bit more as ending the pandemic is a complex global effort,” Dr Ailan said.

Vaccine optimism describes people who start to let their guard down after receiving their shots.

“The Covid-19 pandemic is not the first pandemic in human history and it will not be the last public health emergency of national and international concern,” said Dr Ailan.

• Tags: COVID-19 in Cambodia, WHO