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Egypt Announces Clinical Trials of Its Own COVID-19 Vaccine

A woman receives a dose of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at one of the Youth centers where citizens can get the vaccines without prior registration, in an effort to boost the country's vaccination drive, in Cairo, Egypt, September 27, 2021. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
A woman receives a dose of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at one of the Youth centers where citizens can get the vaccines without prior registration, in an effort to boost the country's vaccination drive, in Cairo, Egypt, September 27, 2021. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
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Egypt Announces Clinical Trials of Its Own COVID-19 Vaccine

A woman receives a dose of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at one of the Youth centers where citizens can get the vaccines without prior registration, in an effort to boost the country's vaccination drive, in Cairo, Egypt, September 27, 2021. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
A woman receives a dose of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at one of the Youth centers where citizens can get the vaccines without prior registration, in an effort to boost the country's vaccination drive, in Cairo, Egypt, September 27, 2021. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

Egypt’s national research body said Sunday that it will start clinical trials for a domestically made coronavirus vaccine.

The country’s acting health minister, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, told reporters at a press conference that it is launching clinical trials of the new vaccine. He said the trial for the vaccine, named ‘COVI VAX’ will start with tens, then hundreds, and will eventually include thousands of people.

Sunday's announcement in Cairo was the first indication that researchers there had moved from producing the vaccine and early testing to injecting people who are the subjects of the trial. The World Health Organization has previously recognized the Egyptian vaccine as one of hundreds of formulas around the world that are in development. It works by including proteins from the original virus to provoke an immune response.

“It’s a very important strategic situation, that there is an Egyptian vaccine that we can rely on in the coming period,” said Ghaffar, who is also the minister of higher education and the head of the national research institute in the country, The Associated Press reported.

The government has been trying to encourage more of its population to get vaccinated as case numbers have risen in recent weeks. Starting Nov. 15, all government employees are expected to show proof of vaccination to enter their workplaces.

Egypt has vaccinated more than 14% of its population, according to government officials. It’s been almost entirely reliant on shipments of vaccines from other countries, many through the international COVAX initiative that is meant to provide shots to developing countries.

According to a daily updated tally of coronavirus cases from the country’s ministry of health, 19,435 people have died from the virus in Egypt since the pandemic started and 343,026 have been confirmed to have been infected. The true number is believed to be much higher.

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Arab World

Israel Deliberately Targets Medical Teams, Aid Workers in Lebanon

Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)
Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)
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Israel Deliberately Targets Medical Teams, Aid Workers in Lebanon

Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)
Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)

Over the past three weeks, Israel has systematically targeted hospitals, medical staff, aid workers, and ambulances across various regions of Lebanon, particularly in the heavily bombarded southern areas.
Tel Aviv appears intent on erasing signs of life and sustainability, especially south of the Litani River, aiming to turn the region into scorched earth and establish a buffer zone by force. The exact size of this zone, who will control it, and whether it will involve a permanent occupation remain unclear.
Lebanese Health Minister Firas Al-Abiad recently stated that Israel is “deliberately and systematically” targeting medical teams, revealing that 13 hospitals are no longer operational, more than 150 healthcare workers have been killed, and over 100 medical centers and 130 ambulances have been targeted.
Last week, Nicolas von Arx, the regional director for the Near and Middle East at the International Committee of the Red Cross, issued an urgent call to protect healthcare personnel, ambulances, hospitals, and primary care centers, expressing deep concern over the attacks on medical facilities.
The Islamic Health Authority, affiliated with Hezbollah, reported that over 80 rescue workers have been killed in the past year, 70 of them in the past three weeks alone. The Scout Association of Amal Movement reported losing 21 members. Meanwhile, the Israeli army recently announced that any vehicle suspected of carrying armed militants would be considered a legitimate military target, regardless of its type.
Sobhiya Najjar, a public policy expert and coordinator of the Social Protection for All campaign at the Center for Social Science Research Applications (CESSRA), highlighted that the destruction of Lebanon’s healthcare system is systematic and mirrors what is happening in Gaza. She noted that Lebanon’s healthcare system, particularly in regions like Baalbek-Hermel, Bint Jbeil, and Tyre, was already fragile.
Najjar told Asharq Al-Awsat that Israel targets medical centers, staff, ambulances, and firefighting services to weaken Hezbollah’s ability to treat the wounded and provide essential healthcare, thus increasing pressure on the health system.
This strategy sows chaos and fear among civilians, weakening morale and hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid, including medical and food supplies. She stressed that such actions violate international laws, which protect medical teams as neutral entities.
Paul Morcos, head of the legal organization Justicia, added that while Israel claims medical facilities and ambulances are used to hide weapons and militants, indiscriminate attacks that endanger doctors, nurses, patients, and civilians are prohibited under international law. He cited the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their protocols, which mandate taking precautions to avoid harm to civilians and ensure proportionality in military operations. These rules, he emphasized, have become customary and are binding on all nations.
For her part, political activist Dr. Mona Fayyad described these actions as part of a “genocide” committed by Israel, deliberately preventing the rescue of the wounded. She criticized the international community’s silence and argued that even if some medical personnel support Hezbollah, there is no justification for risking civilian lives under any pretext.