EGYPT. Cairo: The Egyptian government on February 24 approved the Russian made Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19.
The Egyptian Drug Authority said medical personnel will be the first to be inoculated with the vaccine, followed by those with chronic conditions then the elderly, before the general public.
“Given the urgency for the use of vaccines, we have approved Sputnik V from Russia and AstraZeneca imported from South Korea,” said the Authority in a statement.
Confirming the Egyptian approval, the Russian Sovereign Fund said 35 countries have approved the Sputnik V jab.
Four other vaccines remain unapproved in the North African country.
A country of 100 million people, Egypt has seen over 10,400 deaths and 179,000 cases of COVID-19.
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Medical personnel had started receiving Sinopharm vaccine from China as early as January 24. Senegal had also settled for Sinopharm vaccine.
How popular is the Sputnik V?
According to Lancet, the Russian jab is 91.6 percent effective.
African countries through the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team(AVATT) have secured 300 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine.
270 million doses of other vaccines like AstraZeneca, Jonhson & Johnson among others were applied for by 26 countries.
In January, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had expressed support in having the jab licensed in the European Union.
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