According to the instructions from the Ministry of Health to provincial capitals, the gap for the first dose and the second dose of Covid-19 vaccines for both the Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines be not more than 21 days.

This comes in the wake of some vaccination centres closing their first dose vaccination programme and reopening for the 2^nd dose after 14 days and soon after, the centres are closed again to enable the health and army officials to move onto other provinces.

Health Ministry spokeswoman Or Vandine stated in a voice audio message on April 9 that for Sinovac and Sinopharm, the second dose should be taken between 14 to 28 days after the first.

World Health Organization’z representative in Cambodia, Li Ailan, was quoted earlier as saying that  Sinovac recommended that the second dose of its vaccine be delivered after 30 days “in routine settings,” though the second dose can be given after two weeks “in an emergency context, while  Sinopharm advises 21 to 28 days between doses.

In early June, the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization has issued Interim recommendations for the use of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, Sinovac-CoronaVac, developed by Sinovac/China National Pharmaceutical Group.

SAGE recommends the use of Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine as 2 doses (0.5 ml) given intramuscularly. WHO recommends an interval of 2–4 weeks between the first and second dose. It is recommended that all vaccinated individuals receive two doses.

If the second dose is administered less than 2 weeks after the first, the dose does not need to be repeated. If administration of the second dose is delayed beyond 4 weeks, it should be given at the earliest possible opportunity.

SAGE says that as for Sioopharm, it recommends the use of BIBP vaccine as 2 doses (0.5 ml) given intramuscularly. WHO recommends an interval of 3–4 weeks between the first and second dose. If the second dose is administered less than 3 weeks after the first, the dose does not need to be repeated. If administration of the second dose is delayed beyond 4 weeks, it should be given at the earliest possible opportunity. It is recommended that all vaccinated individuals receive two doses.

Thus far, Cambodia has received 16 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines comprising 5,200,000 of Sinopharm; 324,000 of AstraZeneca from the COVAX Facility (CoviShield); and 10,500,000 doses of Sinovac.

• Tags: COVID-19 vaccines, Sinopharm, Sinovac