Cambodia reopens 2 weeks early, buoyed by high vaccine rates

PHNOM PENH – Cambodia reopened its borders to afloat vaccinated travelers connected Monday, 2 weeks earlier than primitively planned, arsenic it emerges from a lengthy lockdown bolstered by 1 of the world's highest rates of immunization against COVID-19.

The programme allows visitors to skip quarantine measures if they are afloat vaccinated, trial antagonistic 72 hours earlier they participate the state and trial antagonistic upon their arrival.

Prime Minister Hun Sen decided to determination up the opening from Nov. 30 to Nov. 15 to commencement revitalizing the country's economical and societal enactment arsenic soon arsenic possible, buoyed by the information that 88% of Cambodians are present afloat vaccinated.

“The concern has changed,” Hun Sen said successful an audio connection shared connected societal media.

The erstwhile program had been to signifier successful the reopening by initially restricting travelers to 2 seaside provinces, but the caller strategy means afloat vaccinated travelers volition beryllium escaped to sojourn anyplace successful the state aft a antagonistic test, the ministry said.

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Unvaccinated travelers volition inactive person to acquisition a strict 14-day quarantine upon accomplishment and acquisition a bid of coronavirus tests earlier they tin question further.

Cambodia successful 2019, earlier the pandemic, received 6.6 cardinal foreigners who accounted for astir $5 cardinal successful revenue. Most of them visited the celebrated Angkor temples successful Siem Reap state and seaside destinations, according to the Tourism Ministry.

In 2020, the fig of visitors dropped sharply to 1.3 cardinal and net from them plunged to astir $1 billion.

Cambodia's vaccination thrust started dilatory but has ramped up rapidly. Children from property 5 and up person been included successful the programme since the opening of November.

Restrictions connected home tourism, schools and different sectors were besides lifted astatine the commencement of the month.

The Health Ministry reported 52 caller COVID-19 cases Monday and 5 deaths, bringing Cambodia's full to 119,588 cases and 2,872 fatalities since the commencement of the pandemic.

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