Health status of volunteers in clinical trials for Egypt’s COVI-VAX ‘stable’: Official

CAIRO – 17 January 2022: Nearly 60 days after the clinical trials for COVI-VAX, Egypt’s first coronavirus vaccine, kicked off, Dr. Osama Azmy, the head of the Clinical Trials committee at the National Research Center revealed the health status of the volunteers, and the steps to approve the vaccine.

Dr. Azmy assured that the health condition of the first volunteers, who received the first dose of the Egyptian vaccine, in the first clinical trial phase is stable, and did not witness any side effects that would harm their health.

He explained that there is continuous communication with the Egyptian medicines authority in order to complete the stages of clinical trials for Egyptian coronavirus vaccine on volunteers.

He added that the clinical trials on the first volunteers proved to a large extent the efficacy of the vaccine, in addition to the fact that the volunteers did not show any symptoms.

The head of the Clinical Trials Committee at the National Research Center stated that after completing the stages of clinical trials on the Egyptian Corona vaccine, the vaccine can be approved by the Medicines Authority, and therefore will be made available in vaccination centers alongside the currently available and offered vaccines.

Dr. Osama Azmy pointed out that the clinical trials for the Egyptian Corona vaccine, COVI-VAX, are conducted on three stages.

The first experiment is conducted on 72 volunteers who have special conditions, as it is required that they do not suffer from any chronic diseases, and never performed previous operations, or contracted the virus or any immune diseases, and their age is between 18 to 50 years old and have not used any narcotic substances. They are subject to regular analyzes to ensure that they are not infected with the virus or previously vaccinated against Corona.

The second stage takes longer time, around 60 days, as it is conducted on a larger number of volunteers (500 individuals), in order to prove its efficiency.

The third stage of clinical trials includes a larger number, as thousands of volunteers are included.

He added that 75 cases were examined, and nine were qualified and undergone the clinical trials as part of the first phase.

The head of the Human Clinical Trials Committee at the National Research Center continued, that one dose of the Egyptian Corona vaccine is sufficient to confront the Corona virus, but the Medicines Authority stipulated and preferred that the vaccination be in two doses, with one month apart, given that the second dose is a revitalizing dose to confront the Corona virus.

In his statements, Dr. Osama Azmy called on citizens to volunteer to obtain the Egyptian vaccine, COVI-VAX, to complete the stages of clinical trials, so that the Egyptian vaccine can be approved and provided to vaccination centers, stressing that volunteers are examined thoroughly before receiving the vaccine, and an insurance umbrella is provided for them for treatment if any disease detected.