Three weeks ago Cambodia had the third lowest cases per million of COVID-19 in the world (after Laos and Vietnam). On February 20th, it was discovered that four Chinese people had bribed their guard to break quarantine earlier in the month and new cases began to be discovered at an alarming rate. From January 2020 until February 2021, Cambodia had only had 483 cases of COVID-19. That’s more than doubled over the last three weeks and more cases are being discovered each day.

The three major outbreaks of COVID-19 in Cambodia have been connected to someone breaking the quarantine rules. MCC has been among the most cautious offices here in Phnom Penh around the COVID-19 outbreaks. The first to close, the last to open. Our personnel are safe and well. Most are working from home in a routine all too familiar to most of you. It’s interesting to think how this pandemic has resulted in such global commonality.

Personally, it’s difficult for Catherine and Charlotte to transition from in person to online schooling again. Yet it’s also becoming familiar. Charlotte has a way of groaning “because of COVID” that sums it up well. Still it’s been good to work with them more directly on their schoolwork and they are so cute when they work on it together.

This time was pretty depressing for me too. I come to life when I’m able to see the people we’re working with and what we’re doing firsthand. It was a blow. Especially as we receive daily devastating reports from our partners in Myanmar.

COVID-19 vaccines have begun to be administered in Cambodia starting with priority groups. We’re not part of a priority group for the initial waves of vaccinations but we’re hopeful that we’ll be able to get vaccinated sometime this year.