The coronavirus vaccine British drugmaker AstraZeneca, is developing with the University of Oxford, should arrive in Egypt by the first quarter of 2021 at the latest, said AstraZeneca Egypt chief executive on Saturday.
Hatem Al-Wardani said in phone interview with Al-Masry Al-Youm Newspaper that the talks are underway with the Egyptian Ministry of Health to set the timing and arrival of the vaccine’s first batch, alongside its shipment and other logistical details.
The first batch is estimated to be at 20 million doses, Al-Wardani explained, and added that AstraZeneca is working with the Egyptian government to provide the vaccine as part the Health Ministry’s plans to obtain the largest quantity as soon as possible.
Egypt is on AstraZeneca’s top priority in the region to receive the vaccine, Al-Wardani added, referring to a meeting held last week between Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed, the British ambassador to Egypt, along with a number of AstraZeneca representatives.
The second batch has yet under discussion, he said, with the Health Ministry to determine when it is needed.
According to Al-Wardani, AstraZeneca’s vaccine is the safest according to worldwide medical studies and can be stored and transported at normal refrigerated temps of 2 °C to 8 °C (36 degrees to 46 degrees Fahrenheit)
Last month, AstraZeneca announced that its COVID-19 vaccine is 70 percent effective at preventing the disease.
