Egypt received 300,000 doses of the Chinese Sinopharmanti-coronavirus vaccine, as a gift from China, the Ministry of Health said Tuesday.
The shipment, received by senior Health Ministry officials and the Chinese Ambassador in Cairo, Liao Liqiang, is the second of the Chinese vaccine.
The shipment comes within the framework of enhancing means of cooperation between the two countries in the fight against Covid-10, Health Ministry Spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement.
He added that Egypt is the first country to go about vaccinating medical workers in Africa.
For his part, Chinese Ambassador Liao, referred to recent phone conversation between President Abdel Fattah el Sisi and the Chinese President Xi Jinping, reflecting the solid ties and cooperation between the two countries.
He also stressed the importance of boosting cooperation in all fields to guarantee that economic and social growth would carry on while combating the pandemic.
The Chinese envoy signed the delivery of the vaccine shipment, the second from China, with Wael el-Sa’I, Assistant to the Minister of Health for Financial and Administrative Affairs.
Sinopharm received emergency approval from the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) as it had proved 86 percent effective against coronavirus, 99 percent in producing antibodies, and 100 percent in preventing mild and severe symptoms, the spokesman said, adding that the doses would be examined at the EDA before vaccinating healthcare workers.
Meanwhile, Egyptians will soon be able to register for the vaccine through a website launched by the ministry last month. Priority will be given to the elderly and people with chronic diseases. The doses will be available at 40 vaccination centres nationwide.
