Employers in Cambodia urged to test staff for COVID-19 after public holiday

The government has issued new directives for ministries, institutions and the private sector, especially factories and enterprises employing large numbers of workers, as well as education institutions, to conduct rapid testing for COVID-19 on employees and staff after the three-day break.

This measure is aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19, especially the highly contagious Delta variant, when Cambodia is moving toward the country’s reopening in all domains, said the directive from the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training.

In addition, the directive called for the enforcement of health safety protocols, as well as necessary administrative and legal measures. The directive also urged all citizens to fully comply with the health safety rules and respect the administrative and legal measures to protect their own safety as well as that of their family members from COVID-19.

To curb the spread of COVID-19 threat, the Cambodian Government has cancelled activities related to the Pchum Ben Festival which starts on October 5 this year. However, all public and private workers are still allowed to have those days off, according to VNA.

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Pchum Ben, also known as Ancestors’ Day or Hungry Ghosts Festival, is a 15-day Cambodian religious festival, which culminates in celebrations on the 15th day of the tenth month in the Khmer calendar, marking the end of the Buddhist lent.