Phnom Penh: Government has introduced a new policy on booster shots of Covid-19 vaccines for people aged 12 and above. For the first time, it has said that children will be eligible for booster shots, after initially saying that the 12-17 age group would not need them. Children are currently being inoculated with Sinovac at 21-day intervals.

The new booster shot policy is broad and offers guidelines for ministries, healthcare workers and other relevant institutions. What members of the public need to know is that booster shots will be rolled out over the course of the next year, as and when vaccines become available. Current World Health Organisation recommendations suggest booster shots be administered 6-8 months after initial inoculation. While scientific evidence is still being gathered about the efficacy of mixing and matching vaccines for booster shots, the practice is already widespread around the world and Cambodia will join the trend.

For those vaccinated with either Sinovac or Sinopharm, booster shots of either AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson will be administered. The Chinese vaccines will be used as booster shots for those initially inoculated with AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson. Given the sheer number of people already vaccinated with Sinovac or Sinopharm, the Prime Minister has instructed the relevant authorities to start securing more doses of AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, starting with those “friendly countries” that have already delivered, including Japan, the UK, and US.

While the kingdom has enough Chinese-made vaccines to meet the targets set for its current “Blossom Strategy”, the booster policy states that more doses of Sinovac and Sinopharm will be needed to provide third shots to those inoculated with either AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson. Government says China, therefore, will remain a “strategic reference” in the supply of vaccines.

While booster shots will continue to be provided free of charge, the policy does state that the private sector will be invited to help purchase vaccines independently of government. The Health Ministry recently gave the go-ahead to private hospitals to order their own vaccines which could then be bought and paid for by private citizens. It is also encouraging owners of factories and other large-scale enterprises to assist in the procurement of booster shot vaccines so that these can be offered to their employees free of charge. Government says it would like the country’s booster shot program completed by the middle of 2022.