Egypt’s health ministry says Sinovac vaccine showed 91% efficacy in 7 countries

CAIRO – 3 June 2021: Egypt’s Health Ministry on Wednesday said the Chinese Sinovac vaccine Egypt is working to locally produce has shown 91 percent efficacy on general groups’ examinees, according to clinical studies in seven countries.

These countries included Brazil, Chile, Turkey, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong and the Philippines, the ministry’s spokesman, Khaled Megahed, said in a statement.

Citizens who get the Sinovac vaccine’s first shot will take the second shot 21 days later, Megahed said.

Health Minister Hala Zayed said Egypt will produce the first batch of the Sinovac vaccine doses by the end of June, after the World Health Organization validated the vaccine for emergency use.

The vaccine will then undergo a final examination in the laboratories of the Egyptian Drug Authority, Megahed said.

He noted that Chinese experts are currently present in the Egyptian Drug Authority and the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA) to supervise the manufacturing process and transfer the manufacturing expertise and technology.

VACSERA and Sinovac in April signed two agreements to manufacture the vaccine. VACSERA will manufacture the final product using the ready-made product provided by Sinovac.

The first agreement is related to the transfer of technology required to manufacture the vaccine doses, a Cabinet statement read. Under the agreement, Sinovac will grant VACSERA a limited license to use the manufacturing technology.

VACSERA will manufacture the vaccine inside the company’s production facilities.

The second agreement stipulates that Sinovac secures for Egypt all technical information related to the company’s vaccine and provides technical assistance.

Technical assistance will include examining VACSERA’s factories and testing the final product and means of manufacturing.

Last month, Egypt has received its first batch of the raw materials required to produce the Sinovac vaccine.

Zayed in a press conference said VACSERA will produce 40 million Sinovac doses in the first year.

Also, Egypt plans to become a hub for exportation of coronavirus vaccine doses to African nations.