The Egyptian health authorities announced that patients who take cortisone will be given the Sinopharm vaccine, and will not be allowed the AstraZeneca vaccine.
This came in press statements issued by the coronavirus vaccine study coordinator at the Kattameya Health Centre, Amal El-Safty. Amal said that the health ministry had not detected real problems with all the vaccines approved for emergency use, especially the vaccines Sinopharm and AstraZeneca.
Al-Safty indicated that access to the two vaccines is prohibited for immunocompromised patients, rheumatoid patients, SLE patients, anyone who has undergone a kidney transplant, and everyone who has undergone a liver transplant.
Weeks ago, Egypt began vaccinating its citizens with Sinopharm and AstraZeneca vaccines and had so far obtained 1.5 million doses of the two vaccines. Al-Sisi’s government faces widespread criticism because it has been slow to vaccinate citizens and because it does not have an adequate number of doses. Experts indicated that the vaccination of the Egyptian people would take nearly 70 years. Amal El-Safty said that if it was possible to vaccinate 70 million citizens fully, the coronavirus pandemic could be eliminated in Egypt.
Dr. Hussam Hosni, head of the scientific committee to combat corona at the Ministry of Health, warned of the next stage, especially with the upcoming month of Ramadan and the increase in gatherings. He said that his warning was due to many citizens’ lack of commitment to the precautionary measures to confront the virus, stressing that the vaccine is the main protection against the virus and social distancing.
