Number of coronavirus vaccine doses in Egypt to reach 70 million by end of October: Min.

CAIRO – 16 October 2021: Egypt’s Health Minister Hala Zayed said the country by the end of October will be having a total of 70 million coronavirus vaccine doses in all.

The country currently has 60.5 million vaccine doses altogether.

Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Saturday unvaccinated employees will not be allowed to enter to workplace within a short period of time.

Madbouly, in a meeting with governors, affirmed the availability of vaccine doses, urging governors to make sure all employees in the administrative bodies are vaccinated.

The premier urged governors to intensify awareness campaign regarding the importance of vaccination, especially in light of the Ministry of Health’s readiness to provide the required vaccine doses.

Earlier this month, Spokesman for the Ministry of Health Khaled Megahed said Egypt will soon manufacture the US coronavirus vaccine Moderna.

He told Egypt Today that the negotiations are underway with the parent company in this regard.

Megahed confirmed that Egypt’s locally-made Sinovac/VACSERA vaccine is safe and effective, affirming that there is no difference between the Egyptian and the Chinese versions of this vaccine.

Megahed said all vaccines’ effectiveness rates range from 86 to 92%, noting that the Egyptian vaccine is produced with the same foreign techniques and is well tested.

"There is a diversity in vaccines in Egypt,” Megahed said.

Minister of Health Hala Zayed said in remarks to media in October that Egypt will start vaccinating high school (secondary school) students against coronavirus within a month.

Cabinet spokesman Nader Saad announced in August that vaccination will be mandatory for all employees in the education sector, including university students, as per presidential directives.

The country seeks to inoculate those categories at least with one shot before the beginning of the new academic year on 9 October.

According to Education Minister Tarek Shawki on Sunday, 8 million doses are needed to vaccinate the high school students.

During her remarks, Zayed said 1.6 million employees in the pre-university education sector have been vaccinated.

Zayed said Egypt vaccinated 3 million employees at the administrative sector of the state among a total of 3.4 million.