PHNOM PENH: The Minister of Health of Cambodia, Mam Bunheng, has signed the authorisation for emergency use of the Sputnik V, Sputnik-Light, CoviVac and EpiVacCorona - all from Russia. Cambodia is aiming to administer booster shots to the public with the Russian vaccines selected for priority groups, such as seniors and people with certain medical conditions.

At the G20 conference happening in Italy, President Vladimir Putin has stated the WHO must speed up the procedure of qualifications for new vaccines, since the Russian jabs are still being examined and waiting for an WHO approval.

However, the Sputnik V has already been approved for use in more than 70 countries with a combined population of more than four billion. Russia has also developed the Sputnik Light, a one-component vaccine that can be used to improve the effectiveness of other vaccines.

Currently in Cambodia the chineses Sinovac and Sinopharm are the most administered vaccines, followed by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. Pfizer vaccine Moderna is also approved, although no doses have arrived in the Kingdom.