Sisi Orders Providing China's COVID-19 Vaccine to Citizens for Free

Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed during a press conference after Cairo received its first shipment of a Chinese coronavirus vaccine - Image via Egypt's Health Ministry
Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed during a press conference after Cairo received its first shipment of a Chinese coronavirus vaccine - Image via Egypt's Health Ministry
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Sisi Orders Providing China's COVID-19 Vaccine to Citizens for Free

Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed during a press conference after Cairo received its first shipment of a Chinese coronavirus vaccine - Image via Egypt's Health Ministry
Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed during a press conference after Cairo received its first shipment of a Chinese coronavirus vaccine - Image via Egypt's Health Ministry

Egypt on Thursday received its first shipment of a Chinese coronavirus vaccine, which was tested in the United Arab Emirates and is said to be 86% effective.

The shipment by Chinese state-owned pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm landed at Cairo’s international airport from the UAE.

Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed and diplomats from China and the UAE were at the airport to greet the shipment.

Zayed later revealed that the Chinese vaccine will be available for citizens for free upon directives of President Abdul Fatah el-Sisi.

The priority of distributing the vaccine would be given to the medical staff in isolation hospitals, people with chronic diseases like cancer and kidney failure, and the elderly, Zayed added.

Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous country, has seen an increase in confirmed coronavirus infections in recent weeks amid warnings by the government about a second wave of the pandemic, The Associated Press reported.

It also reported 445 newly confirmed coronavirus infections Thursday and 22 deaths from COVID-19, bringing the country’s overall tally to 120,147 cases, with 6,854 deaths.

The Sinopharm vaccine has been approved for emergency use in a few countries and the company is still conducting late-stage clinical trials in 10 nations.

Sinopharm’s vaccine relies on a killed virus, similar to how polio immunizations work.

Vaccines being developed by Western companies, like the shot made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, target the coronavirus’ spike protein using RNA. The United Kingdom already has begun vaccinating people with the Pfizer shot.

Pfizer reports its shot as being 95% effective, while another RNA candidate from Moderna appears to be 94.5% effective. Results suggest a third vaccine from Oxford University and AstraZeneca is safe and about 70% effective, but questions remain about how well it may help protect those over 55.



Yemen Cabinet Holds Urgent Meeting to Discuss Economic Rescue Plan

Yemeni Cabinet meeting in Aden, Yemen (Saba News Agency)
Yemeni Cabinet meeting in Aden, Yemen (Saba News Agency)
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Yemen Cabinet Holds Urgent Meeting to Discuss Economic Rescue Plan

Yemeni Cabinet meeting in Aden, Yemen (Saba News Agency)
Yemeni Cabinet meeting in Aden, Yemen (Saba News Agency)

The Yemeni government met in the interim capital, Aden, on Thursday, with Prime Minister Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak presiding to review an economic rescue plan focused on government reforms, ending the Houthi coup, and restoring state control.
Yemen’s economy faces a deep crisis, with falling revenues and a halt in oil exports after Houthi attacks on export ports and stalled peace efforts amid increased Houthi activity regionally and at sea.
In Thursday’s meeting, Yemen’s Cabinet discussed urgent economic issues, including currency instability and electricity shortages, and reviewed a draft economic rescue plan aligned with government reforms.
The government aims to finalize the plan, which focuses on restoring state control, ending the Houthi coup, achieving peace, fighting corruption, and improving transparency. The plan also seeks to boost the economy and make better use of foreign aid.
A ministerial committee, led by the finance minister and including other key officials, was formed to refine the plan. The committee will review suggestions and present a revised version in two weeks for further discussion.
State media reported that the Cabinet instructed the ministerial committee to align the rescue plan with the government's reform agenda and economic recovery strategy. The committee will set priorities, review progress, and develop a unified economic document to guide urgent government actions.
Yemen’s Cabinet emphasized the need to realistically assess challenges and tackle them through joint efforts with the Presidential Leadership Council.
The discussion focused on ensuring the rescue plan addresses the economic crisis’s root causes—worsened by Houthi attacks on oil facilities and shipping routes—and on defining the support needed from international donors.
The meeting also reviewed implemented and ongoing policies, noting obstacles and suggesting solutions to overcome them.
Moreover, Yemen’s Cabinet reviewed reports on fuel shortages affecting Aden’s power stations and discussed urgent steps to stabilize electricity and ensure water supplies.
State media said officials stressed the need for emergency fuel and additional supplies to keep services stable.