Minister: Egypt 1st Country to Vaccinate Citizens in Africa

Health Minister Hala Zayed said on Sunday Egypt is the first African country to get the coronavirus vaccine and launch a vaccination campaign for its citizens.

Addressing a press conference following her participation in vaccination of the medical staff at Abu Khalifa isolation hospital in Ismailia governorate, Zayed noted that Egypt was one of the countries which partook in the third phase of the clinical trials to develop a vaccine.

Zayed listened to a presentation showing the mechanism of getting the vaccine starting from the phase of registering data, dates of the second dose, and ways of communication with the vaccinated people, saying Abu Khalifa hospital is the second Egyptian isolation hospital to receive Covid-19 patients.

[caption id="attachment_206133" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Egypt 1st Country to Vaccinate Citizens in Africa[/caption]

The minister pointed out that the Sinopharm vaccine had been approved by the Egyptian Drugs Authority to authorize the emergency use of the Chinese vaccine, noting that three other vaccines are being registered.

She stressed the importance of protecting the medical teams by vaccinating them.

The vaccine, as per studies conducted, is 86% effective and has a 99% capacity to produce antibiotics, the minister said.

She added that the priority would be given to medical workers at the isolation hospitals, followed by people with chronic diseases and then the elderly.

She further added that the country could store 140 million doses of the vaccine.