US Congratulates Egypt on Arrival of COVID-19 Vaccines from COVAX

On Thursday, the United States (US) congratulated Egypt on the successful arrival of nearly one million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

In a statement, the US ambassador to Cairo, Jonathan R. Cohen, said, “The US is donating $4 billion to support COVAX’s vital work. We are excited to see them deliver the first of millions of vaccines to Egypt tonight. This is the first of many deliveries that will help our strategic partner Egypt beat this epidemic.”

He added that the U.S. contributions to COVAX, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will support the purchase and delivery of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for 92 countries. This support is critical to controlling the pandemic, slowing the emergence of new variants, and helping to restart the global economy.

The United States will also work with other donors to make further pledges and commitments to meet the COVAX’s critical needs. The U.S. is committed to collaborating with partners and governments to support global COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

The US has worked closely with Egypt throughout the duration of the pandemic, providing $37 million to protect public health, strengthen the response to COVID-19, and support economic recovery.

These resources have helped Egypt with community engagement, infection prevention and control, case management and laboratory systems, and provided important commodities such as basic hygiene supplies, personal protective equipment, and ventilators.

The United States also supports field epidemiologists, nurses, community health workers, and Egyptian Red Crescent volunteers who are on the front lines of the COVID-19 response in every governorate.

On the economic front, the United States helped the Egyptian government study the impact of COVID-19 on the Egyptian economy in order to mitigate and manage a potential financial crisis. And the U.S. government is supporting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in disadvantaged communities to ensure their survival through the pandemic