Egyptian production line ready to produce Chinese anti-COVID-19 vaccine: minister

CAIRO – 2 November 2020: Minister of Health and Population Hala Zayed stated in a phone-in that a production line has been prepared at VACSERA to produce a Chinese anti-COVID-19 vaccine once the company approves.

The minister noted that a team from the World Health Organization (WHO) evaluated the line, and indicated it is ready to start production.

Zayed said that Egypt cooperates with China on three vaccines, and that she currently coordinates with the Chinese ambassador to Cairo.

In a similar context, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Thursday has expressed Egypt’s readiness to cooperate with Russia in jointly manufacturing and producing the Russian coronavirus vaccine, as he met with the Russian industry minister.

Source at the Ministry of Health and Population told Al Watan newspaper last week that the 11 volunteers who are part of the third phase of COVID-19 vaccine trials showed mild side effects such as fever, headache, and skin rash.

The volunteers received the second and last dose 21 days after getting the first one in September when the ministry made the call.

Twenty-eight days since the second dose, the volunteers will be tested to determine the amount of anti-bodies stimulated by the vaccine.

The Ministry’s officials said that the volunteers will receive LE 250 for each clinical trial, also a follow-up to check their health will be carried out by phone.

The Egyptian Ministry of Health, Hala Zayed, previously said that Egypt is participating in the international efforts to find a vaccine for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) along with another three Arab countries, UAE, Bahrain, and Jordan. The share of Egypt is planned to be 6,000 volunteers.

Zayed pointed out that the volunteer will receive the vaccine in two times separated by 21 days, and he/she shall be under monitor for a year.

The minister of health added that each the personal information and the medical history of each volunteer will be recorded, the volunteer will receive a full brief on the clinical trial after being tested to check if he/she meets the requirements of the clinical trial.