COVID vaccine is 86% effective preventing infections, 99% in producing antibodies: Egypt’s Health Ministry

CAIRO – 8 March 2021: Egypt’s Health Ministry affirmed that Covid-19 vaccine is 86% safe and effective preventing the virus infection.

It was added that the vaccine has proved to be 99% effective in the production of antibodies, and 100% in preventing infections of the moderate and severe cases.

The Ministry explained that the vaccine is available for all Egyptians after reaeration via official website.

Health Ministry spokesperson, Khaled Mugahid stressed that the Ministry is the only authority in Egypt responsible for providing and vaccinating citizens against Coronavirus according to priorities and according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization in this regard.

Mugahid called on the citizens who are eligible to receive the vaccine to quickly register on the ministry's official website to receive the vaccine, pointing out that the vaccines obtained by the government are subjected to analysis in the Egyptian Drug Authority laboratories to ensure their safety.

Assistant to Minister of Health and Population for Public Health and Health Policies Gamal el-Shishini stated in a phone-in Saturday that 2,200 citizens aged above 40 and suffering from chronic diseases got vaccinated one week through the launching of the campaign.

The official pointed out that the duration between the first and second doses is 21 days for Sinopharm vaccine, and three months for Astrazeneza vaccine. It is noted that 50 percent of Egypt's medical staff at isolation hospitals had been vaccinated.

The ministry has allocated 40 centers across the country to carry out the vaccination process.

A website had been launched for the registration of citizens with chronic diseases, including patients of renal failure and tumors and those who underwent cardiac operations in addition to renal or liver transplant.

The Ministry of Health put certain criteria during the registration process on the website, asking citizens to provide 3 medical reports to determine their health status, and then the website automatically determines priority regarding receiving the vaccine.

Then, a text message is sent to citizens on when and where they could receive the vaccine.

A vaccine shipment – consisting of 300,000 doses - granted by China to Egypt arrived to Cairo International Airport late in February.

Egypt had earlier received 100,000 doses of both Sinopharm and Astrazeneca vaccines.

Health Advisor to the President Mohamed Awad Tag el-Din stated Sunday that Egypt will receive further eight million doses of Astrazeneza vaccine in a few weeks.