How to get the vaccine in Cambodia as a foreigner ? This has been quite the rollercoaster year for Cambodia, for a while it looked like the country had managed to escape the crisis that was coronavirus, and then things all changed, and quickly.
On February 20th there was a community outbreak, which according to the Khmer Times involved call girls and a lot of partying. The country then went from counting cases in the hundreds to the tens of thousands, within a few months.
You can read the article about the Khmer Times article here.
How quickly is the vaccine being rolled out in Cambodia?
Cambodia of course has its faults, like any country, but there are a few points where the country has behaved amazingly, specifically with how they have treated foreigners stuck in Cambodia, and the the universal and free rollout of the vaccine.
Despite being a developing country the Kingdom has managed to vaccinate around 23 percent of the country, with estimates in Phnom Penh going up to as much as 74 percent for Phnom Penh. These are seriously high numbers, ranking Cambodia second after only Singapore in per capita vaccinations in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
How do you get the vaccine as a foreigner in Cambodia?
Essentially getting the vaccine as a foreigner in Cambodia works exactly the same way as it does for getting it as a Khmer person. You register via an a government app, which you will need a little Khmer language help on.
You then essentially wait your turn! The government initially were prioritizing red zone areas, before moving around the capital of Phnom Penh and other areas. Usually this means your landlord will tell you when it is your turn to go. Once your area is selected you fill out a form, which has both Khmer and English, get the all important stamp from your local authority and the you are good to go.
Where do you get the vaccine in Cambodia as a foreigner
Makeshift vaccination centres are set up mostly in schools, which are currently closed due to the pandemic. For anyone that has done the dark tourism trail in Cambodia you will notice just how little schools have changed, with them all looking a little too much like S-21.
You can read about S-21 here
When you arrive at the vaccination centre, you show your papers, get a number and then wait your turn.
Getting the vaccine as a as foreigner in Cambodia
You first present your documents, next stop they test your blood pressure etc to make sure you are healthy enough to have the jab, you are then informed which jab you will get, which for most people is Sinovac. If you’re picky about your vaccine for all intents tough luck.
To read about Sinopharm getting World Health Organization (WHO) approval click here .
You then go and actually get the jab, its no big needle and you barely feel it. Last stop id then having your documents filled out in the aforementioned blue card that you were given. You are then required to come back no sooner than 2 weeks later.
Getting the vaccine as a foreigner in Cambodia – second dose
The second dose goes pretty much the same way as the first with you usually going back to the same place that you got it, getting a number and then waiting your turn. Once your number is called your documents are again checked and they fill our part2 of your blue card, the really important bit that says you have had dose 2. And then the final stop actually receiving your vaccine, again with you hardly feeling the jab in your arm.
You now have your all important blue card that proves you have been vaccinated.
When can we start traveling again?
This is the billions of dollar question to the travel industry, Cambodia are talking about opening up to package tourists by October of this year and vaccine passports are still more a talking point than an actual reality yet.
To read about vaccine passports click here .
To read about Cambodia opening to tourism click here .
For now though essentially very little happens, other than you have been vaccinated. In the long-term though you will at some point have options for being able to travel, as for when? No one knows.
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