June 9

Cambodia started providing the fifth dose of COVID-19 vaccines to priority groups across the country on Thursday, health ministry's secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine said.

"Booster doses are essential to strengthen your immunity against COVID-19, so please come for your booster shots when your turns come," she added.

The spokeswoman said the interval between the fourth and the fifth doses is at least three months.

The Southeast Asian country has become a state of COVID-zero since Tuesday after the last patient recovered. Vandine attributed the country's success in controlling the pandemic to the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.

The kingdom has so far administered one dose of COVID-19 vaccines to over 15 million people, or 94 percent of its 16 million population, the health ministry said, adding that of them, 14.3 million, or 89.4 percent of the population, have been fully vaccinated with two required shots.

Also, some 9.28 million, or 58 percent, have got a third dose, and 2.6 million, or 16 percent, have had a fourth dose.Xinhua. 

xinhua