Egyptian parliament to discuss report on draft law authorizing PM to take measures during pandemic

CAIRO – 11 November 2021: The Egyptian Parliament will on Tuesday will discuss a joint committee report on the draft law submitted by the government regarding measures to confront pandemics.

The draft law stipulates that the prime minister has the right, after the Cabinet approval and in the event of pandemics, to take any of the necessary measures to protect public health and safety.

Among these measures:

1- Placing restrictions on the freedom of persons to move, pass or be present at certain times, whether in specific areas or throughout the country, for a specified period.

2- Halting work, partially or completely, for a specified period, in ministries, departments, government agencies, local administration units, public authorities, public sector companies, public business sector companies, other state-owned companies, and the private sector.

3- Suspending study for a specified period, partially or completely, in schools, universities, institutes and other educational institutions and any gatherings of students with the aim of receiving education, and taking the necessary measures regarding exams for the academic year, and suspending work in nurseries.

4- Determining the dates for opening and closing public shops, as well as ordering the closure of all or some of these shops.

5- Organizing or prohibiting public meetings, processions, demonstrations, celebrations and other forms of gatherings, as well as private meetings, for a specified period.

6- Organizing or prohibiting the holding of exhibitions, cultural festivals and other cultural activities.

7- Regulating or prohibiting clubs, youth centers, gymnasiums and health clubs from being visited.

8- Regulating or prohibiting the reception of persons in places of worship and the places attached to them, for a specified period.

9- Prohibition or restriction of the use of public transportation, and mass transportation means owned by the private sector

10- Obligating citizens to take all precautionary measures and health precautions established by the health authorities, including wearing protective masks and receiving vaccinations.

gypt has started its vaccination campaign in January this year, during which around 25 million citizens have been vaccinated against the novel virus.

The country has received all types of vaccines worldwide, the latest of which was Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson.

Minister of Higher Education and Acting Health Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar told a Cabinet meeting late in October that the country has received 72 million coronavirus vaccine doses and is expected to receive 26 million others soon.

The country has also allowed the vaccination of children who are above 15 years of age to receive the vaccine.