Japan offers Egypt 10 equipped vehicles to transfer Covid vaccines: Health Minister

CAIRO - 29 November 2021: Acting Health Minister Dr Khaled Abdel Ghaffar met Sunday night with a senior official at Toyota Egypt to discuss cooperation between the two sides.

Abdel Ghaffar thanked the Japanese government for supplying Egypt with 10 vehicles equipped to transfer Covid-19 vaccines.

Worth 3.2 million dollars, the vehicles were offered by Japan's Toyota Motor Corporation and would be used to carry and distribute vaccines across Egypt.

Such 4x4 vehicles play an important role in easing the transfer of vaccines since they have highly efficient cooling capabilities and can travel for long distances, Abdel Ghaffar stressed.

He added that they agreed that Egypt would get five more vehicles to transfer the vaccines.

The Toyota representative said the company is willing to offer Egypt 15 more vehicles to help counter the coronavirus pandemic. 

Egypt’s Cabinet Spokesman Nader Saad said teenagers aged 12-15 will get Covid-19 vaccination.

He added in televised statements to Al Hayat TV channel, that the decision to administer vaccine for this age group has been taken under the approval of the World Health Organization.

He pointed out that this age group will be allowed to register for vaccination starting from the first week of December and will be notified about the time and place of the vaccination with Pfizer vaccines.

He added that it is difficult to give Pfizer vaccines at schools because the vaccine needs cool temperature provided only by certain refrigerators, however it will be available at vaccination centers.

Presidential Health Adviser Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din also said that it was approved to vaccinate children from 12 to 15 years of age with the Pfizer and Sinovac vaccines due to having an international approval and license to use them both.

He also noted that Egypt has now a huge number of vaccines available in stock, as other vaccines are still expected to arrive soon.

Egypt did not record any cases with the Omicron variant until now, according to Presidential Health Adviser Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din on Monday.