Egypt's Health Minister Says Citizens Can Start Registering For COVID-19 Vaccine

Egypt's Health Minister Hala Zayed speaks during a news conference alongside Dr Abdel Menoim Selim and nurse Ahmed Hamdan Zayed, the first two Egyptians to receive Chinese Sinopharm coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, inside a tent set up outside the Abou Khalifa hospital in Ismailia, Egypt January 24, 2021. REUTERS/Shokry Hussien
Egypt's Health Minister Hala Zayed speaks during a news conference alongside Dr Abdel Menoim Selim and nurse Ahmed Hamdan Zayed, the first two Egyptians to receive Chinese Sinopharm coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, inside a tent set up outside the Abou Khalifa hospital in Ismailia, Egypt January 24, 2021. REUTERS/Shokry Hussien
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Egypt's Health Minister Says Citizens Can Start Registering For COVID-19 Vaccine

Egypt's Health Minister Hala Zayed speaks during a news conference alongside Dr Abdel Menoim Selim and nurse Ahmed Hamdan Zayed, the first two Egyptians to receive Chinese Sinopharm coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, inside a tent set up outside the Abou Khalifa hospital in Ismailia, Egypt January 24, 2021. REUTERS/Shokry Hussien
Egypt's Health Minister Hala Zayed speaks during a news conference alongside Dr Abdel Menoim Selim and nurse Ahmed Hamdan Zayed, the first two Egyptians to receive Chinese Sinopharm coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, inside a tent set up outside the Abou Khalifa hospital in Ismailia, Egypt January 24, 2021. REUTERS/Shokry Hussien

Egyptian Minister of Health Hala Zayed announced on Sunday that citizens will be able to begin registration to receive the coronavirus vaccine starting next week, beginning the next step in the country’s vaccination campaign.

In late January, Egypt started vaccinating medical workers at quarantine hospitals.

In this context, Zayed noted that the priority will be given to the elderly and those suffering from chronic diseases during the next phase.

She also confirmed that Egypt will receive a “big” shipment of vaccines, noting that Egypt signed contracts to receive 100 million doses.

Zayed told reporters that the country will receive 8.6 million of the AstraZeneca doses later this month.

“Egypt is set to receive a total of 40 million vaccine doses from GAVI during 2021,” she added.

The Minister asserted that Egypt is the first African country to approve COVID-19 vaccines and receive them.

All the vaccines that are obtained are approved for emergency use through the Egyptian Medicines Authority and its affiliated laboratories, she assured.

Hossam Hosni, head of the scientific committee to combat coronavirus in Egypt, confirmed the committee’s intention to amend the treatment protocol for the virus to include new drugs. He asserted that the treatment protocol will be updated.



German Minister Says Israeli Occupation of Golan Heights Breaches International Law

 An Israeli military vehicle rides on the Golan Heights side of the ceasefire line with Syria, as seen from Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, December 18, 2024. (Reuters)
An Israeli military vehicle rides on the Golan Heights side of the ceasefire line with Syria, as seen from Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, December 18, 2024. (Reuters)
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German Minister Says Israeli Occupation of Golan Heights Breaches International Law

 An Israeli military vehicle rides on the Golan Heights side of the ceasefire line with Syria, as seen from Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, December 18, 2024. (Reuters)
An Israeli military vehicle rides on the Golan Heights side of the ceasefire line with Syria, as seen from Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, December 18, 2024. (Reuters)

The occupation of the Golan Heights is a violation of international law, Germany's foreign minister said during a speech in the parliament on Wednesday, after the Israeli government decided at the weekend to double its population on the occupied strategic plateau.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also said she would make clear to Türkiye on a visit on Friday that the rights of Kurds in northern Syria must be protected.

Israel will remain on the strategic Mount Hermon site on the Syrian border until another arrangement is found, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday.

Israeli troops occupied Mount Hermon when they moved into a demilitarized zone between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights following the collapse of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government this month.

Officials have described the move as a limited and temporary measure to ensure the security of Israel's borders but have given no indication of when the troops might be withdrawn and Defense Minister Israel Katz last week ordered troops to prepare to remain on Mount Hermon over the winter.

Israel's move into the buffer zone created following the 1973 Arab-Israeli war has been criticized as a violation of international agreements by a number of countries and the United Nations, which have called for the troops to be withdrawn.