Egypt receives 300,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine donated by China

Egypt has received 300,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine, the Chinese vaccine against coronavirus. of the Sinopharm donated by China. The move was an indication of the close ties between Egypt and China.

On hand to receive the vaccine were China’s ambassador to Egypt Liao Li Zhang; General Wael al-Saei, aide to Egypt’s Health Minister; Alaa Eid, Head of the Preventive Medicine Sector; and Muhammad Abdel-Fattah, Head of the Central Department for Preventive Medicine Affairs at the Ministry of Health.

According to Dr Khaled Megahed, spokesperson of the health ministry, Egypt is the first African country to receive coronavirus vaccine. Sinopharm vaccine, he said, has obtained emergency approval from the Egyptian Medicines Authority. He said the vaccine has proved to be 86 per cent effective in protecting against coronavirus infection, 99 per cent in producing antibodies to the virus, and 100 per cent in preventing moderate or severe cases of COVID-19.

Dr Megahed also said that the vaccine received will be analysed in the laboratories of the Egyptian Drug Authority before administering it to medical staff and priority categories.