Mask Wearing Waived, “3 Don’ts, 3 Protections” Still Necessary
What is called “3 dos and 3 don’ts”? Among the “3 protections,” wearing a mask is the first action to lift. But let me be clear, I still consider “3 dos and 3 protections” – in all of their measures – necessary. In my message yesterday to my compatriots about the fact that they do not need to wear a mask (in public/open places), I also encouraged the people to ponder about whether to stop or continue wearing one at their choices. At this point, we continue to talk about the “3 don’ts and 3 protections”. For “3 protections” (measures) we include wearing a mask, washing your hands and keeping social distance. So even though the obligation to wear a mask has been waived, we still encourage wearing one (whenever and wherever people choose to).
Has Not Yet Won the Entire War against Covid-19
I would take this opportunity to express my appreciation to our compatriots who, yesterday and today, both in the morning and in the evening, came here. I observed that not less than 60% of them continue to wear the mask while traveling the streets. This is a good point. This does not mean that only by removing mask you honor the Prime Minister and the Royal Government. When we talk about the obligation to no longer wear masks in public, we continue to encourage the wearing of masks and I see that our brothers and sisters are wearing ones traveling on the streets. In other words, our people understand and know how to protect themselves.
This is where we win the war/battle. I mean, we have not won the whole war yet, we have just won small battles. Therefore, the measures that we need to take control of Covid-19 are very important […] we have not been able to end this war […] there is not a single country in the world that is not infected, except North Korea that we cannot know whether there is or not. Countries in the world still have Covid-19. If they do, the possibility of continuing Covid-19 in our country will also continue. It has just been that in the evolution of Covid-19 in the past, we had taken responsive steps according to the situation, obviously not biblical and according to the conditions allowed […]
After Mask Obligation Off, Re-wearing When Necessary
For example, that we have lifted the obligation to wear a mask, does not mean we have ended it (the Covid-19 pandemic). If something happens, we can go back to wearing the mask again. That is why “3 don’ts 3 protections” is still necessary for us in response to the spread of Covid-19. We overcame the Alpha, Delta, Omicron variants battles and we consider them victory over battles […] there may or may not be other forms […] we must keep following the development.
Now, even though we are removing the duty to wear masks, people are still vigilant and we are still closely monitoring. Today, at 12 noon, we just found two cases of infection in Phnom Penh. At 3 pm today, Lok Chumteav Youk Sambath sent me a report that no laboratory in the whole country has found any new positive case. So, the trend of infection today may continue to be low. We will continue monitoring the progress after we remove the obligation to wear this mask […]
Jump into the Water to Learn to Swim … Have Faith in the Vaccines
I take this opportunity to express my appreciation and thanks to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, and teachers who have worked hard to protect themselves, protect the students, children of the people, with the school management through motivating students to get vaccination, which is the biggest success in our country on defeating the three battles – of Delta, Alpha, and Omicron. This gave us the opportunity (to celebrate) the Khmer New Year. I think this year’s New Year celebration, people (going out to spend their holiday time) in landslide number. (Atmosphere) is great fun and there were sea of people everywhere […] on the TV, in concerts in the provinces of Sihanoukville, Battambang and other provinces, there were crowds of people and there seemed to have no distance keeping and masks wearing.
Initially, we exempted from wearing masks in Ratanakkiri/Mondulkiri/Stung Treng and Preah Vihear provinces, but those who do not wear masks at all are in places of New Year entertainments […] I then asked myself if my decision was right or wrong to let the people enjoy the holiday. I am still confident and said to myself if you do not jump into the water, you cannot swim […] I have drawn down lessons from the four provinces and asked HE Aun Porn Moniroth to lead a meeting to find out if there any additional measures for the four provinces. In that, there had been some suggestions as to what needed to do further. I wrote back on the suggestion that if that same thing is what we have to do, how can we find out whether there will or will not be infection, or where it came from. So let them all go out. If we want to learn to swim, there is no other way but to jump into the water. I do not take people’s lives for granted, but because I believe in vaccines, I take responsibility for the decision to remove the mask.
Outside Mask Removal Causes No Infection, Indoor Mask Wearing Waiving Applied
This is our responsibility. If we do not dare to do that, we will not be able to find community immunity. I will continue this step. When (removal of mask wearing duty causes) no infection outdoors, we will consider indoor measure. This morning, I did the same thing at the Peace Palace. I welcomed guests and we wore no masks and had lunch with former UNTAC Commander John Sonderson […] Guests come to see me, I let them in without wearing mask. Well, all we have to do is wear a mask in a closed place. Sometimes we can open the window. Keep it open […]
In the past, the schools have become quarantine centers when we were in emergency Covid-19 situation. This means that at that time, teachers could not enter the school, students could not go to school. We use our school in many places for quarantine. Tens of thousands of people needed to be in quarantine was not a small problem. The war against Covid-19 was one of the most difficult battles to command compared to when I commanded troops in numerous battles, commanded of troops in actual battles and throughout the country. To command soldiers in battles compared to commanding control of Covid-19 is very different because in one battle we can see who we are fighting with, while in the other, we do not.
Required Proper Approach to Vaccination Process to Build Herd Immunity
Our choice is to use a vaccine strategy. Even with vaccination strategies there is no guarantee that with enough vaccines we are sure to win. Going the wrong way from the start is definitely going to lead astray. I would rather have our people to blame me from the beginning, but now the results are obvious to everyone. When Covid-19 happened, many provincial governors demanded to me to share vaccines. “No” was my answer to them and told them as long as Phnom Penh and Kandal province were not blanketed with vaccines, I would not let vaccines to go around.”
[…] In some other countries, they have injected a large number of people too, but why when hit by infection, they still have many to die from. The key here is because the vaccination does not create herd immunity. Example: a country gets 10% of its population vaccinated, so it distributes vaccines to every person for 10% of their population […] at the time of the meeting/gathering, there were more unvaccinated people than the vaccinated ones. It does not create community immunity. Some countries vaccinate the one million doses at one time with expectation that another one million doses will arrive […] when the expected new one million doses did not show up, there was a gap between the first and the second dose, which made the vaccination in vain […]
Vaccination Regardless of Political, Racial or Religious Tendencies
[…] Once we have blanketed Phnom Penh with vaccination, we noticed that the number of people (who had vaccinated there) surpassed the population in Phnom Penh and Kandal. Why? (They are) citizens coming from other provinces. Just come and got the jab, there is no need for ticket. Where did (vaccination in) our country prove to be a success? As some criminals spread false information in their propaganda that vaccines kill, it was rather surprising to see that we have had 14.9 million, out of 16 million people, people vaccinated. Our people have confidence in the Royal Government.
There is also no discrimination (in this vaccination process). We have made it clear that whoever is on Cambodian soil can come for injection. Yesterday, listening to the speech of the Italian Ambassador who handover to us the vaccine, he talked about injections without discrimination in Cambodia, including the Italians who consider Cambodia as their second homeland […] the French embassy had to inject 3,000 French citizens. He asked us for permission to import (the vaccines for this purpose), if we do not have enough. At that time, we had Pfizer from Australia. I instructed vaccination to as many people as the embassy would need. We have no discrimination. In our country, there is no point in further political discrimination.
The number of people who voted for the CPP was not so many. More than 10 million people injected. More than 10 million eligible voters are not all members of the CPP. This is Cambodia’s greatest success in vaccinating without discrimination on the basis of political affiliation, race or religion. This is part of the success of the community immunity we build together. What’s more impressive is when the rapid test device is available, now everyone knows how to test themselves, and no need to worry about going to the doctor (for test) […]
Teachers to Keep Track of Covid-19 Disease in Schools
We need to continue to pay attention to this issue and take care to ensure that the opening of the school is safe for our teachers and students. On the 3rd (of May), I will meet the A-Mention students graduated from the secondary school. We were ready to meet them, but Omicron infection broke out to stop us. I still owe A-Mention secondary school graduates. We do not expect the A-Mention students to reach 1,700 this year. Passing Baccalaureate exams and scored A Mention before were anywhere in the 400 or 500.
Learning online and working hard to teach children at home helped solve the problem in the Covid-19 phase, but there have been cases of school dropouts and not getting an education because learning online is possible only with access to internet. In the countryside, our children/students continue to strive for learning opportunities. That’s a good point. The education sector participates in the management of Covid-19. In the field of education, we have a large number of students scattering across the country. Now we need to pay attention to prepare in a way that professors and teachers can pay close attention to the development of Covid-19 disease, using no methods from the pre-vaccination time […]
People Believe in the Royal Government’s Efforts to Protect Their Lives
Yesterday was April 26th, we announced the abolition of the duty to wear masks, but April 26th last year was the day when we lock down Phnom Penh and Kandal province. One year of fighting (with Covid-19) is not uncommon. It’s hard. But people’s participation with the Royal Government is admirable, no matter what party they believe in. Example – with this vaccine given to nearly 15 million people, do all those people support the CPP? No. Whatever political party they may support, one fact here indicates that they trust the Royal Government to find vaccines to protect their lives. I thank you – whether you support the Royal Government or not, but you received a life-saving vaccine which is making it easier for us.
Last year, this time, I called for preparation, as soon as possible, both the crematorium and the grave yards to bury the body, and the coffin, until some people mocked me for insulting the lives of the people. Nevertheless, our Cambodian people are not in a state of death and there are no coffins for their corpses, no places of cremation, no place to bury, including the dead Muslims who needed to be buried according to the Muslim tradition. Indigenous people also have land for traditional burial, as some places do not require burning.
Despite tens of thousands of people being infected, we do not allow people to sleep on the streets. The private sector has given us even Koh Pich, places of entertainment (buildings), we have beds for our people. Let us go through this hardship together, not just the hardships of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is just a man at the steering thought, but we are united with the people, all political parties, all tendencies, all nations in Cambodia. In terms of participation, HM the King and Luong Mae (the Queen Mother) have led a major drive of contribution […]
Private Sector Contributed to the Success of the Battle of Covid-19
How much has the private sector in other countries contributed? […] in Cambodia, the Cambodian private sector has contributed greatly to the success of the Battle of Covid-19 in the past […] some people do not understand. They said that the Royal Government rented the formerly Inter-Continental Hotel or Koh Pich or Sen Sok. There is no rent. It does not cost us even a penny. Well, we have been asynchronous. It is this harmony that creates success.
I think the newspapers that insulted Cambodia before should have corrected their views. Look, the speakers involved in insulting said that we are a country with a weak and vulnerable health system. For this insult, we try to stand up. We do not have a high ranking yet, but we can protect our people. We solved the problem, which is a dangerous thing that I one night stepped out and alert our people that we are near the abyss of death, and which way should we continue.
Get Away from the Precipice, Let Us Not Get There Again
We have now left that precipice, but we must not return to the dangerous precipice again. The “3 don’ts and 3 protections” is still an important topic. I still encourage that even if the vaccination obligation and the mass duty are lifted, we will leave wearing or not wearing mask to the people’s decision. If he thinks he has to wear it, wear it. I also have it, I put it in my pocket anyway. If it is not comfortable, wear it immediately. This morning, when I came to the Council of Ministers, I looked at how many people wearing masks and how many people were without masks. I saw that about 60% of them are still having their masks on. That’s a good point. Now it is up to the people to take responsibility for themselves.
Previously […] the first stage, if in a village there were only 2 or 3 people infected, we imposed lockdown on the whole village. We got the whole villagers for test and until one time I stop ordered to stop testing quickly. People in some places say that the doctors are very free as they just went around taking samples from their noses. I said it was not easy anymore, and it does not seem right. In one market of 1,000 stalls, for instance, if only 10 stalls found infected, they closed the whole market. Remember the Chhem Savuth case, […] closed Aeon1 Market. The Japanese Embassy asked for intervention to reopen. We reach that level by researching where people go through. But at that stage, it requires us to take such a step, otherwise it will be a disaster […]
Mask Duty Off Is Step 2 after No Increase in Infection from Khmer New Year
We have not celebrated new year for two years. That is why this year, we had had great fun that shook the sky/earth. At that time, my feelings always (asked me) whether it was right or wrong to let people enjoy the Khmer New Year. After the New Year, I was anxious to see if it increases or not? I have kept abreast and I observed that there does not seem to have gone up in infection. That’s why we started the second step. I sent a voice message to (Deputy Prime Minister) His Excellency Aun Porn Moniroth and (Minister of Health) His Excellency Mam Bun Heng to lead a meeting, while I was in Japan, as to what measures should we take, an indication I provided. Well, we all agree to take action.
Yesterday, (Minister of Culture and Fine Arts) Lok Chumteav Pheung Sakona wrote a letter requesting that each cinema be allowed to take in 100%. Okay. Do it. But in case we find that the situation is not good, we immediately move and not to get inflexible. (The PMilitary Police head) His Excellency Sao Sokha also made (a request) to me about football match and asking for full house spectators. Go ahead. If we do not dare to jump, how can we learn to swim. If we do not dare to remove the mask, how do we know if the vaccine is effective and if it can prevent or replace mask or not. But based on this, I should call on the people to continue to receive the booster dose, especially the third dose, which about 6.6 million or 6.7 million are not yet receiving it […] and the fourth dose continues.
While Vaccine Aid Was Little, Cambodia Buys for People
This morning, I received the news that the Australian side is ready to provide us with the Pfizer vaccine for children […] I agree that Mrs. Or Vandin that it should come in June […] we are not greedy. If there are more donations, we will still receive. Even if any country gives us with 100 doses bilaterally, I will come out to receive it because it is the bilateral aid, but if it come through COVAX, the Minister of Health will receive it.
Now I hear that Spain is also ready to send the vaccine Lok Chumteav Yuok Sambath told me. Australia is clear. This morning I confirmed that they will ship us the date we wanted. If we bring it in too fast, we will not be able to use them because we have 11 million (dose) left in the warehouse. We have the promised vaccine too. China has 15 million doses left. So you have to push to the end of the year to receive […]
From the United States via COVAX, (there will be) another 7.5 million more doses. Poland has to wait for information because it plans to send us AstraZeneca. Since AstraZeneca deadline is too short, we are proposing a different category. We are not greedy. But we need to have the tools in hand. I would like to emphasize that the first phase of assistance for us is little. We bought ourselves up to 28.5 million dollar worth of vaccines. If we think of injecting 2 doses/person, the number of people we injected in the past, we did it with our own money […]
First Three Months, 44% of Tax Plan Achieved, Exports Increased by 33%
If the immunity in each of our people is achieved, then our socio-economic process will continue. This year, we are proud that in the first three months of the year, the tax revenue reached 44% of the plan. In just four months, the tax can reach 50%. Yesterday, the amount of revenue reached 220 million dollars. So, as a percentage of the law for managing the budget in 2022 will be able to get good results. Our exports increased by about 33%. Exports in the first three months of the year increased by 33%, not a small problem. That is because we have good control of socio-economic activities. Good management of Covid-19 has immediate impact on production, and the 33% increase in exports also goes to major markets […]
Supporting UN Secretary-General’s Role in Mediation between Moscow and Kiev
While sustaining Covid-19 attacks on one side, Russia-Ukraine war is now attacking the whole world, or we can say it is almost equal to World War III. In economic terms, it is equivalent to World War III (because) the impact is too great. Now, for all countries […] the IMF lowers the economic forecast every day. Inflation in the United States, in Europe, in our region is on the rise. This is where we contribute to calling for a compromise to end the war there as soon as possible. We support the role of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who wants to mediate between Moscow and Kiev.
We support finding solutions. War cannot be ended. Russia cannot destroy Ukraine and Ukraine cannot destroy Russia. So, the last resort is only to negotiate (to seek) peace. This is to avoid the effects of war. Although it happened tens of thousands of kilometers away from our country, the impact is huge, especially oil and gas […] Europe says it will not stop using Russian gas until 2027. What if Russia closes from tomorrow? Would it not make Europe cut firewood for cooking? Europe cut down trees. And winter is cold to death. You have to cut firewood and then cut down the forest and cut it down. That’s why this is not a trivial matter for the global economy. The global supply chain is struggling again due to the war […]
Yesterday, there was a resolution at the United Nations that if the Security Council cannot decide, it is up to the President of the United Nations General Assembly to decide. But there is a difference between the Security Council and the General Assembly’s decision. The Security Council resolution is binding, such as the decision to impose sanctions on North Korea, not just North Korea. It affected both of us. All North Korean companies have to leave Cambodia. Even North Korean sports coaches in Cambodia have to leave. That is the decision of the Security Council.
But in the Security Council there is Russia. He has veto power. In order to circumvent Russia’s veto, it is said that if the Security Council fails to do so, it will automatically ask the President of the UN General Assembly to issue a decision. However, the UN Charter does not make the decisions of the General Assembly binding. The story goes like this. There is now confusion to the order of the world institutions as well. We are also following up. The story (Russian-Ukrainian war) is one of the things that affects us. We have just strated to recover from Covid-19, (the current economic supply chain in the world is struggling again due to the war) is here. Like one more claw […]./.
