Lok Chumteav Or Vandin, Excellency Lok Chumteav in the Adhoc Commission (on Anti-Covid-19 Vaccination),
Phnom Penh has become a central point of contagion and a place where we need to prevent it from spreading further. The vaccine is used in all provinces, but for Phnom Penh, we must use as much as we needed to. In the past, I have already authorized vaccination already, and I have requested that 400,000 doses of Sinopharm target those at risks, such as tricycles and taxis drivers, and other businesses, as well as fish and vegetable sellers or those in the so-called informal economy sector. I think this 400,000 doses can play a crucial role in addition to the AstraZeneca already authorized for people over the age of 60. We are targeting those in informal occupations, especially in the marketplace, who are at risks (of infection).
Therefore, I would like to ask Lok Chumteav Or Vandin, as well as HE Khuong Sreng, one is the chairwoman of the adhoc commission, and the other is deputy chairman, to make urgent arrangements for the vaccination for fish sellers, the vegetable sellers, the business people whose trades in the market can easily bring them to infection. Act to get them vaccinated, as we did with the workers at Cintri Garbage Collection. Tricycles, taxi drivers and other transporters who take orders from one place to another are also vaccinated.
Sinopharm is a vaccine that reception between the first and second dose is short. My children received Sinopharm injections or Sinovac, only I and my wife due to age factors had had AstraZeneca injections. If it were not for age restriction, I would have had injection of Sinovac or Sinopharm, which is easy for us and takes shorter time to get (between) the first dose and the second dose. For me, now I have to wait until April 29 to get the second dose because AstraZeneca is effective after 8 to 12 weeks. For Sinopharm, within a couple days, we can get a second dose.
Therefore, I would like to ask you to pay special attention to the preparation, especially Lok Chumteav Or Vandin to work with HE Khuong Sreng, and HE Khuong Sreng must collect the list and prepare the place for vaccination for the people in the market and the market guards. Market vendors, whether traveling, transporting vegetables, or shopping online from store to home, can be transmission agents if we fail to get them vaccinated.
On this note, I suggest that at least 200,000 more people, especially those in the informal economy sector, needed to have injection in Phnom Penh, in addition to civil servants as well as some workers, vaccinated with AstraZeneca and Sinovac. This is my urgent instruction so that we use to the fullest possibility to help restore this dire situation in Phnom Penh. Thank you.
