This decision was made based on the high rate of vaccination against COVID-19 for teachers, education workers and young people aged 12 to under 18, as well as a stable decrease in infections in the capital city of Phnom Penh.
In the notice, Phnom Penh's government also said that preschools and primary schools in the area must have detailed reports for the City Council to organise a working group to assess the risks before making a decision to reopen.
At the same time, the municipal authorities also issued guideline on COVID-19 prevention measures for public and private educational institutions. These measures include safety regulations including "3 protections" (wearing masks; washing hands frequently; keeping a distance of 1.5m or more) and other measures such as refrain from going to crowded places; do not gather in close off places; no face-to-face contact or handshake. Temperature monitor, hand sanitizer, rapid testing for all teachers and educational institution staff before opening schools are also required.
On the same day, the Cambodian Ministry of Health warned people to stay vigilant as the pandemic continued to develop complicatedly.
From March 31 to September 9, the Cambodia Pasteur Institute detected 3,731 cases of Delta variant infection in 24 out 25 provinces and cities across the country; Kep province is the only province where this deadly variant has not been detected.
Cambodia's Ministry of Health continued to urge citizens and children over 12 years of age to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible. Noting that currently the infection rate is increasing among young people due to travel and contact, the agency recommended that young Cambodians be vigilant to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
