Egypt has administered a little more than half of its available Covid-19 vaccine supply as cases continue to climb amid a fourth wave.
The Ministry of Health and Population has used 38 million of the 72 million doses available, said Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, acting health minister and higher education minister.
The country of more than 104 million people has fully vaccinated about 8 per cent of its population and partly vaccinated another 8 per cent, Our World in Data reported, meaning Egypt is lagging behind most countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
For example, Iran has fully vaccinated about 40 per cent of its 85 million people. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Morocco and Oman have all fully vaccinated more than half of their populations.
“Based on the number of doses that are available, we should have a higher percentage. It’s just a matter of distribution and administering these vaccines,” said health researcher Ayman Sabae.
Egypt is one of about 50 countries worldwide — mostly in Africa — that are not on track to meet a UN global target of vaccinating 40 per cent of their populations with at least one dose by the end of 2021.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s daily coronavirus cases are averaging about 900, close to the peak of its previous three waves. It has reported a total of 331,017 cases and 18,651 deaths.
Official figures probably represent only 10 per cent of actual cases, due to the exclusion of private lab results and limited testing.
Dr Mohammed Hassani, assistant minister of public health initiatives, said 20 million people have been vaccinated and the recent increase in vaccine supply will help Egypt reach its target of inoculating 40 million people by the end of this year.
On Sunday, Egypt received its first shipment of the Moderna vaccine, comprising 784,280 doses, from Canada through the Covax initiative.
A day earlier, Egypt received over 3.6 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine from the US, also through Covax. It was the fourth and largest shipment to be delivered since September, bringing the total to 8.25 million doses.
The country now has all the major types of vaccines available, including AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer, Sputnik, Sinopharm and Sinovac.
The health ministry is expecting to receive an additional 26 million vaccine doses “in the coming period” to reach a total of 98 million, Dr Abdel Ghaffar said during a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Sunday.
More than 1.5 million university employees have been vaccinated, he added.
The total number of vaccine centres has reached 1,079, and the ministry is expanding efforts to provide vehicles where citizens can be vaccinated in crowded places, such as malls and train and metro stations.
Despite efforts to increase capacity, Mr Sabae said there are problems with the electronic registration system and the vaccination process.
“At this very moment, there is an unmet need. People register and many don’t get the vaccine,” said Mr Sabae, chief executive of Shamseya, a healthcare solutions provider.
He suggested the Egyptian government should offer the vaccine without registration on a wide scale and intensify promotion of Covid-19 vaccination. Only youth centres, which number 243, currently provide the vaccine without prior registration.
Another issue is “people don’t know what vaccines are available at what centres,” he said.
Despite acquiring Pfizer doses, Egypt also has not yet begun to offer vaccination for children under the age of 18.
Egypt is locally manufacturing China's Sinovac through the Vacsera factory, but it is unclear whether this will be enough to bridge the supply gap.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
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Trippier bio
Date of birth September 19, 1990
Place of birth Bury, United Kingdom
Age 26
Height 1.74 metres
Nationality England
Position Right-back
Foot Right
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Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Schedule:
Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)
Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)
Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four
Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)
Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 28: Final (Dubai)
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
T20 World Cup Qualifier fixtures
Tuesday, October 29
Qualifier one, 2.10pm – Netherlands v UAE
Qualifier two, 7.30pm – Namibia v Oman
Wednesday, October 30
Qualifier three, 2.10pm – Scotland v loser of qualifier one
Qualifier four, 7.30pm – Hong Kong v loser of qualifier two
Thursday, October 31
Fifth-place playoff, 2.10pm – winner of qualifier three v winner of qualifier four
Friday, November 1
Semi-final one, 2.10pm – Ireland v winner of qualifier one
Semi-final two, 7.30pm – PNG v winner of qualifier two
Saturday, November 2
Third-place playoff, 2.10pm
Final, 7.30pm
Honeymoonish
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
World ranking (at month’s end)
Jan - 257
Feb - 198
Mar - 159
Apr - 161
May - 159
Jun – 162
Currently: 88
Year-end rank since turning pro
2016 - 279
2015 - 185
2014 - 143
2013 - 63
2012 - 384
2011 - 883
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THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
On racial profiling at airports
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
