PHNOM PENH, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Friday decided to bring forward a COVID-19 vaccination drive for adolescents aged from 12 to 17 to Aug. 1.
The prime minister first set Aug. 6 for the campaign, but changed his decision a few hours later in order to enable the adolescent group to get the jabs sooner, according to a Fresh News report.
Hun Sen said he will attend the launching event at the Calmette Hospital in Phnom Penh and that China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines will be used in the drive, said the report.
He will also bring all of his grandchildren aged between 12 and 17 to get the jabs, the Fresh News said, adding that other senior leaders' children and grandchildren will also go for their doses.
There are around 2 million adolescents in the kingdom, Hun Sen said last week, adding that the vaccinations for the adolescents will pave the way for the country to reopen schools after being closed down since late February.
Cambodia launched a COVID-19 inoculation drive for adults on Feb. 10, with China being the key vaccine supplier.
To date, 6.45 million people, or 64.5 percent of the 10 million targeted adult population, have been vaccinated, health ministry's secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine said, adding that the kingdom is targeting to inoculate the 10 million targeted adult population by November.
Cambodia confirmed 825 new COVID-19 infections including 335 imported cases on Friday, pushing the national total caseload to 71,244, the health ministry said, adding that 34 new fatalities were recorded, bringing the overall death toll to 1,222. Enditem
