Illustrative image (Photo: Lao National Radio) Hanoi (VNA) – The COVID-19 vaccination programme is underway in Laos, with themajority of people in target groups having their first shot of the vaccine.
Lao media quoted local authorities as saying that85 percent of the target population have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
As of April 4, some 103,000 people in at-riskgroups had received their first shot, while 6,171 people have got the second shot.The Lao government plans to vaccinate at least 150,000 people in the initialphase of the programme.
The vaccination drive is part of the COVID-19 prevention and control plan whichhealth authorities are going all out to implement in a bid to keep the virus undercontrol.
The vaccination programme has been expanded tocover more target groups in addition to health workers.
Civil servants and officials from ministries,ministry-equivalent organisations, local departments, foreign embassies,international organisations and their families, as well as some businessescategorised as being at risk, are now targeted under the expanded programme.
An earlier report said that about 22 percent ofthe population, or about 1.6 million people, will be vaccinated in 2021.
Vaccination coverage is expected to rise to 70percent of the population by 2022, with more people to be vaccinated in thefollowing years.
The Lao Ministry of Health asked everyone to bemindful of the risks posed by the pandemic. Authorities and people muststrictly follow government guidelines concerning virus prevention measures.
Laos has now confirmed 58 cases of COVID-19,with nine people undergoing treatment in hospitals.
On the same day, the Cambodian Ministry of Health confirmed 624 new coronavirus cases.
Despite the lockdown, Phnom Penh still reported the highestnumber of new patients, with 465 tested positive for the coronavirus on April18.
Prime Minister Hun Sen on April 19 announcednew measures to be implemented in Phnom Penh and nearby Takhmao city, which arecalled “Red Zones”.
The new measures areaimed to strengthen the current lockdown of the capital and Takhmao city, whichstarted on April 14 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the supplementalmeasures instituted on April 17.
Authorities will take immediate action to distribute emergency aid, includingrice, noodles, canned fish, fish sauce and soy sauce to vulnerable, poor anddisadvantaged people in the Red Zones.
The Ministry of Commerce will arrange for the supply, transportation anddistribution of food, including rice and drinking water as well as otheressential food items to sell to people living in Red Zones by implementing asystematic sales service.
Cambodia has so far recorded a total of 7,013 COVID-19 infections,including 6,470 cases linked to the February 20 community infection event./.
Despite the lockdown, Phnom Penh still reported the highestnumber of new patients, with 465 tested positive for the coronavirus on April18.
Prime Minister Hun Sen on April 19 announcednew measures to be implemented in Phnom Penh and nearby Takhmao city, which arecalled “Red Zones”.
The new measures areaimed to strengthen the current lockdown of the capital and Takhmao city, whichstarted on April 14 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the supplementalmeasures instituted on April 17.
Authorities will take immediate action to distribute emergency aid, includingrice, noodles, canned fish, fish sauce and soy sauce to vulnerable, poor anddisadvantaged people in the Red Zones.
The Ministry of Commerce will arrange for the supply, transportation anddistribution of food, including rice and drinking water as well as otheressential food items to sell to people living in Red Zones by implementing asystematic sales service.
Cambodia has so far recorded a total of 7,013 COVID-19 infections,including 6,470 cases linked to the February 20 community infection event./.
VNA
