Egypt negotiates to manufacture Moderna vaccine locally at VACSERA: Minister

CAIRO – 4 October 2021: Egyptian Minister Hala Zayed stated Monday that Egypt is negotiating to domestically manufacture anti-COVID vaccine “Modern” at its factories at VACSERA.

Minister Zayed’s statements came during her a press conference held Monday morning with the U.S. Ambassador to Cairo Jonathan Cohen, to discuss ways of cooperation between both countries on anti-Coronavirus vaccines.

Zayed also noted that she will pay a visit to the United States of America, as part of cooperation efforts in vaccines and health-related issues. She further said that Egypt has received 1,612,260 doses of Coronavirus vaccine, produced by Pfizer through Cofax mechanism, in cooperation with the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI).

According to Zayed, this Pfizer batch is the first of a series of shipments provided by the U.S. to Egypt amounting to 8 million doses, including Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

For his part, the US ambassador to Cairo, Jonathan Cohen, confirmed that the United States has so far provided Egypt with 6 million doses of the Corona vaccine through COVAX.

He added that the United States provided 100 million doses of the Corona vaccine to 60 countries around the world.

“Pfizer” vaccine has emergency use approval from both the World Health Organization and the Egyptian Medicines Authority, pointing out that the vaccine shipments received by Egypt are subject to analyzes in the laboratories of the Egyptian Medicine Authority before distributing them to 1,100 vaccination across the governorates. The Pfizer vaccine consists of two doses separated by 21 days.

Vaccines for Coronavirus are available in hundreds of centers around Egyptian governorates, said Minister Zayed, ensuring that “all vaccines are safe and effective,” adding that large number of citizens have been vaccinated during the last period.

She further called on citizens to register on the ministry's website to receive the coronavirus vaccines, stressing that the Egyptian state spares no effort in providing vaccines for free, through permanent cooperation with international organizations and bodies; To provide vaccines to ensure the preservation of the state's gains in addressing the pandemic.