Long read:

Lessons From Cambodia on How to Respond to COVID
by Sam Macdonald
28 September, 2021
From Europe to the Asia-Pacific, what looked like light at the end of the tunnel earlier this year has given way to rising infections and an uptick in mortality rates as the highly infectious Delta strain has taken hold. Countries that appeared to be controlling the virus are now scrambling to limit the spread as a new wave overwhelms already strained health care systems.

But one country appears to be bucking the global trend. The Kingdom of Cambodia is pushing back against the COVID-19 fourth wave and is seemingly on the brink of an economic turnaround to near pre-pandemic levels. Despite a per-capita GDP of one-tenth of the EU’s, Cambodia has achieved a similar rate of vaccination and a death rate 20 times lower.

This success has not come without a price. The country’s authoritarian government has forced vaccines on its citizens and used the pandemic to crackdown on opponents and critical voices.

Southeast Asia’s Fight Against the Delta Variant

Southeast Asia has not been immune to the new strain of COVID-19. Thailand has seen an explosion of infections, from a 7-day case average of around 130 in March to a high of 21,000 in August. In neighboring Myanmar, the Delta strain has run roughshod through a people already struggling with the economic and health impacts of a violent military coup. The country has seen 16,700 COVID deaths to date. Vietnam was initially hailed as a model of success but is also struggling to hold the line, with a 7-day average of over 12,000 cases in September.

Wealthier countries in the Asia-Pacific region are faring little better. Australia shielded itself from the worst of the pandemic by controversially closing its borders, leaving overseas Australians stranded and unable to return home. But the Morrison government squandered the time they had by not vaccinating its population faster and is now losing a fight against surging Delta infections and a mounting death toll.

Among an alarming uptick in both case numbers and deaths, Cambodia currently stands alone as having held back the tide of the Delta-driven third wave.

Get Vaccinated and Move On

A report by Mekong Strategic Partners titled “Vaccination Nation: Unmasking Cambodia’s Vaccination Success,” suggests a swift vaccination rollout is the reason for the country’s success. Cambodia is one of the first countries in the world to be offering booster shots and vaccinating children.

The data speaks for itself. At present 57 percent of Cambodians have received two doses, while in neighboring Thailand the rate is 17 percent, and in Vietnam only 4 percent. Meanwhile, in Australia, less than 40 percent of the population has had both doses. And with 36 percent of the Australian public hesitant to do so, it’s possible that the land down under may not return to normal anytime soon.

Cambodia’s vaccination achievements have resulted in far fewer deaths than its ASEAN neighbors. The country’s lower mortality rate is equivalent to an additional 340 Cambodian’s surviving each week, compared to other countries in the region. This is partially thanks to the government using a mix of whatever vaccines it could get, including Sinovac, Sinopharm, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson.

With fewer people contracting, transmitting, and falling ill from the virus, the country’s health care system is under less strain and can concentrate on managing seasonal illnesses that flare up during the monsoon. Cambodia’s gradual phasing out of lockdowns and opening of customer-facing businesses makes it well-positioned to return to (a new) normal.

If further encouragement were needed to convince skeptics of the benefits of vaccination, Cambodia is on track to reopen its economy to foreign investment and tourism. The pandemic hit the tourism, construction, and manufacturing sectors particularly hard, severely impacting already poor and vulnerable households. But revised forecasts for 2022 now peg the country at between 5 and 6 percent growth, as vaccinated workers return to factories, offices, and building sites.

All this is good news for Cambodians and vaccine advocates. But it’s come at a cost.

Political Price

On the surface, the success of one of the region’s poorest countries is due to a blend of low vaccine hesitancy, a sense of communal responsibility, and an approach to securing vaccines where the best one is “the one you can get.” But the government has forced citizens into receiving vaccines and its quarantining strategies have been ham-fisted.

In March 2020, Prime Minister HE issued an ominous warning that anyone spreading fake news about the pandemic was a terrorist. Within days two people were charged for questioning whether the government was fully disclosing information on the virus. 2020 also saw a string of unprovoked attacks and crackdowns on political activists and opponents.

Earlier this year, the government closed markets and locked down “Red Zones” in the capital, Phnom Penh. Punitive quarantine measures drastically limited peoples’ ability to work, purchase food, and source medicine. Communities protested these measures, claiming they were on the brink of starvation. NGOs rushed to fill the gap, providing emergency food assistance and necessities. Further reports of police violence against increasingly desperate families led Human Rights Watch to declare a humanitarian crisis.

Vaccination Offers Freedom

Cambodia’s success in suppressing the Delta variant gives hope to other countries currently struggling to contain the pandemic. But it has come in a distinctly authoritarian style. Is there anything that can be learned from the Kingdom’s pandemic response?

First, vaccinations save lives. It seems alarming that this still needs to be said, but vaccine skepticism in wealthy countries is costing lives and delaying victory over the virus. Closing borders is no substitute for getting jabs in arms, a lesson Australia is learning the hard way.

Second, vaccinations have positive downstream outcomes, freeing up healthcare workers to focus on other, equally challenging, medical emergencies.

Third, the basics matter — mask-wearing and hand-washing contributes to saving livelihoods and lives, allowing business owners to reopen restaurants, bars, and construction sites, and get back to work.

Cambodia is not yet out of the woods, with a recent increase in cases and the continuing challenge of new variants. But its vaccine success places it in an enviable position compared to its neighbors. Despite missteps and authoritarian tactics, it remains vital that we learn from Cambodia’s obvious successes. The battle against COVID is far from over, and we will need to use every experience we have to bring it under control.

This article first appeared on FPIF.

Sam Macdonald is the International Solidarity Coordinator for the Korean Federation for Environmental Movements, South Korea’s largest environmental NGO. The views expressed are those of the author alone.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2021/09/28/215176/

No vaccine discrimination for entry

Cambodia has adopted a policy of non-discrimination and is allowing travellers who have been inoculated with any type of vaccine to enter the country.
According to a Health Ministry circular, this is irrespective of whether or not the type of vaccine had received World Health Organization (WHO) emergency use approval.

Ministry of Health spokeswoman Or Vandine told Khmer Times yesterday that the ministry does not discriminate against travellers who want to visit Cambodia but recommends that passengers, if possible, should have been vaccinated with those on WHO’s Emergency Use Listing (EUL).

“I have already stated that any vaccine is effective and we must not discriminate,” she said.

Vandine added that all vaccines used in Cambodia are recognised and listed for emergency use by the WHO.

The WHO recommends that people who aim to visit Cambodia must fully vaccinated with a vaccine recognised on the WHO Emergency Use Listing and must quarantine according to health measures.

WHO representative Dr Li Ailan told Khmer Times yesterday that the WHO recommends all countries including Cambodia to use safe and effective vaccines.

“Vaccination is crucial for people to protect themselves and others. WHO advises all eligible people, especially the vulnerable population, to get fully vaccinated when it is their turn,” she said.

Dr Ailan noted that a risk-based approach should be adopted to facilitate international travel by lifting measures, such as mandatory quarantine requirements, to individual travellers who:

1) Were fully vaccinated, at least two weeks prior to travelling, with Covid-19 vaccines listed by WHO for emergency use or approved by a stringent regulatory authority; or

2) Have had a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection as confirmed by real time RT-PCR (rRT- PCR) within six months prior to travelling and are no longer infectious as per WHO’s criteria for releasing Covid-19 patients from isolation.
“We are aware that Cambodia has recently adjusted its quarantine policy and procedures for international travellers based on Cambodia’s Covid-19 situation and the great progress on its vaccine rollout,” Dr Ailan said.
She said that all four WHO EUL vaccines that are being used in Cambodia, namely AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Sinovac and Johnson & Johnson, remain effective against severe disease and deaths.

The WHO is constantly adding various types of vaccines to its EUL.

The WHO technical advisory panel will meet on October 26 to examine the emergency use listing for Bharat Biotech’s Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin, WHO’s head scientist Soumya Swaminathan said on Sunday.
According to an official update, the WHO is presently analysing the data given by the vaccine manufacturer and a decision on vaccination is expected by the end of October. Covaxin, along with other vaccines including Covishield and Sputnik V, has acquired emergency use authorisation from India’s medicines regulator and is being used in the country’s state-wide vaccination programme.
The six Covid-19 vaccines that have so far gained emergency use authorisation from the WHO are the Pfizer-BioNTech jab, and the two versions of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccines – one being the AstraZeneca vaccine produced by SK Bio and the Serum Institute of India (SII), and the other – AstraZeneca EU, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Sinovac and Sinopharm.

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50954947/n ... for-entry/

Quote - Cambodia has adopted a policy of non-discrimination and is allowing travellers who have been inoculated with any type of vaccine to enter the country.
According to a Health Ministry circular, this is irrespective of whether or not the type of vaccine had received World Health Organization (WHO) emergency use approval.

This is all well and good, first it would be reasonable to say that most who would say such a statement, more then likely had their own choice on what vaccine they had. It's also understandable to quote the WHO. But the facts are the Chinese vaccines, did get the WHO's approval for emergency use, but still China (irrespective if it works) never released or supplied the data, where all the other named vaccines supplied the support data.
Without the data support, you can understand people being apprehensive too the vaccine and being vaccinated, irresectable, with no discrimination from where it was manufactured. The simple fact is China released the vaccines in various countries, for the citizens of those countries to test the vaccine, and produce some facts or data. Even now the Chinese have not come forward with any relevant data.

IraHayes wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:46 am So when do we get back to normal then??

If everyone is vaccinated why are we still under restrictions??
If they don't remove the restrictions why bother getting vaccinated??

Serious?
Restrictions are being eased. Vaccine protects you (and others) from catching, spreading and being hospitalised. Yes indisputable fact.

If you think we’ve ever had any serious restrictions I suggest you look at Victoria in Australia, Vietnam and parts of Europe. We’ve had it piss easy, with the exception of SR but their restrictions were intermittent and brief, and SHV, but who cares about Chinaville, right?

mannanman wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:55 am

IraHayes wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:46 am So when do we get back to normal then??

If everyone is vaccinated why are we still under restrictions??
If they don't remove the restrictions why bother getting vaccinated??

Serious?
Restrictions are being eased. Vaccine protects you (and others) from catching, spreading and being hospitalised. Yes indisputable fact.

If you think we’ve ever had any serious restrictions I suggest you look at Victoria in Australia, Vietnam and parts of Europe. We’ve had it piss easy, with the exception of SR but their restrictions were intermittent and brief, and SHV, but who cares about Chinaville, right?

Don’t forget about red zones in PP and the provincial travel ban back in May.

mannanman wrote:

IraHayes wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:46 am So when do we get back to normal then??

If everyone is vaccinated why are we still under restrictions??
If they don't remove the restrictions why bother getting vaccinated??

Serious?
Restrictions are being eased. Vaccine protects you (and others) from catching, spreading and being hospitalised. Yes indisputable fact.

If you think we’ve ever had any serious restrictions I suggest you look at Victoria in Australia, Vietnam and parts of Europe. We’ve had it piss easy, with the exception of SR but their restrictions were intermittent and brief, and SHV, but who cares about Chinaville, right?

I would have agreed with you all the way up to April. Since then, the rest of the western world had had a lot more freedom than here. Packed stadiums, eating out, gyms a d schools fully reopened months and months ago, no masks outside and so on. Here there has been this odd boasting about how well vaccinated they are, combined with odd restrictions.

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:47 pm

mannanman wrote:

IraHayes wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:46 am So when do we get back to normal then??

If everyone is vaccinated why are we still under restrictions??
If they don't remove the restrictions why bother getting vaccinated??

Serious?
Restrictions are being eased. Vaccine protects you (and others) from catching, spreading and being hospitalised. Yes indisputable fact.

If you think we’ve ever had any serious restrictions I suggest you look at Victoria in Australia, Vietnam and parts of Europe. We’ve had it piss easy, with the exception of SR but their restrictions were intermittent and brief, and SHV, but who cares about Chinaville, right?

I would have agreed with you all the way up to April. Since then, the rest of the western world had had a lot more freedom than here. Packed stadiums, eating out, gyms a d schools fully reopened months and months ago, no masks outside and so on. Here there has been this odd boasting about how well vaccinated they are, combined with odd restrictions.

Never boasted just telling you how it is. If you don’t want the vaccine and you’re an expat you’re going to find it hard. Soon it’ll be no vaccine no visa/WP/no job.

Packed stadiums? Where, USA? Yeah they’re doing really well. Australia, nope. NRL and AFL had empty stadiums and flight restrictions and quarantine for players. WA was the only state that had it “easier”.
European countries? Dunno but riots in most of their capitals would suggest people were pissed off with the restrictions.
Show me a country (apart from Sweden) that had no restrictions and low numbers.

Fact is it fucked up the world.

IraHayes wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:46 am So when do we get back to normal then??

If everyone is vaccinated why are we still under restrictions??
If they don't remove the restrictions why bother getting vaccinated??

What's 'normal'? Back to pre-covid? @Doc67 ran a poll 'How Long Before We Get Back To 2019?' and many said 'never' or more than a few years. Could even be several years as new variants pop up and vaccines are tweaked to play catch-up.

But what's the alternative? Without vaccines, we allow exponential, needless deaths in our community that could otherwise be avoided. And accept those covid deaths as a statistic of 'natural' deaths?

I think also many were expecting vaccines to be a miracle cure such that you take 1 shot of a vaccine and that's it... you're done.. as was the case with some other diseases. Well, not unlike the flu, not so this disease. Nevertheless, the vaccines so far are still highly effective against hospitalisation and death.

clutchcargo wrote: ↑Wed Oct 20, 2021 2:20 pm I think also many were expecting vaccines to be a miracle cure such that you take 1 shot of a vaccine and that's it... you're done.. as was the case with some other diseases. Well, not unlike the flu, not so this disease. Nevertheless, the vaccines so far are still highly effective against hospitalisation and death.

There are also many experts who believe covid will naturally become less of a severe disease over time. We're not seeing it yet but the fact that it hasn't mutated into anything else more serious for quite some time - Delta being the last major mutation - is promising.