PHNOM PENH, Oct 18 (NNN-AKP) – The Cambodian government decided to reduce the quarantine period, for fully vaccinated inbound travellers, after the majority of its population were vaccinated against COVID-19, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said in a statement.
Foreign investors, technical experts, diplomats, and cooperation project managers and coordinators, as well as, Cambodian officials returning from overseas missions, will be required to undergo a three-day quarantine only, while general inbound passengers, both Cambodians and foreigners, will be quarantined for seven days, the statement said.
However, travellers who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine or not been fully vaccinated, will be required to go into a full 14-day quarantine, it said.
The statement added, foreigners still need to present a medical certificate, for a negative COVID-19 test, within 72 hours prior to their arrival in Cambodia, and they must carry a vaccination card or certificate, indicating their full vaccination status and vaccination date.
Also, they must have proof of accommodation during the quarantine period and need to hold a COVID-19 insurance policy, issued by Forte Insurance (Cambodia) Plc, which is the insurance consortium, it said, adding that, all inbound passengers’ samples will be taken for PCR tests upon their arrival in the country.
According to the statement, all visas must be requested at Cambodian embassies abroad, as visas on arrival will not be offered.
“The new quarantine rules will take effect from today onwards,” Health Minister, Mam Bunheng said in the statement.
Chhay Sivlin, president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, welcomed the new quarantine policy, saying, it was a good sign for tourism, which had been hit hard.
“It’s good news for our tourism because a shorter quarantine period will encourage investors, business people and tourists to come to Cambodia,” she said. “With this new quarantine policy, we hope our tourism will start to recover gradually.”
The latest move came, after the country administered at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to 13.58 million people, or 84.9 percent of its 16-million population. Of them, 12.54 million, or 78.3 percent, have been fully inoculated with two required shots, and 1.36 million, or 8.5 percent, have received a third dose or booster dose, the MoH said.
Cambodia reported 258 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the total tally to 116,665, with 2,658 deaths, including 24 new fatalities. An additional 405 patients have recovered, taking the total number of recoveries to 110,870, said the MoH.– NNN-AKP
