Cambodian Prime Minister HE said Monday that the country is unable to use coronavirus vaccines from the United States because storage of the vaccine requires an ultra-cold freezer.

The prime minister made the remarks in a speech at the opening of a water treatment facility in the capital Phnom Penh. Cambodia currently lacks the capacity to store the vaccine developed by Pfizer, which must be stored at between -80 and -60°C (-112 to -76°F).

“We would accept the help of [a vaccine] from the U.S., but the vaccine needs to be stored at below 76°F, so Cambodia cannot use it,” HE said.

“If the U.S. wants to help, please send money instead as Australia has, so Cambodia can purchase the AstraZaneca vaccine,” he said.

The prime minister also said that he would not be the first in the country to receive the vaccine from China as he had said previously, saying he would prefer that medical personnel receive it before him.

“I previously emphasized that when the Chinese vaccine arrives in Cambodia, I would go to the airport to welcome it and I would get the first shot. But the problem is, the person injecting the vaccine will not have received it yet,” he said.