The Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) approved the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine for use, Egypt's Minister of Health Hala Zayed told MBC Masr Saturday. The first batch of the Sinopharm vaccine arrived in Egypt in December.

Zayed added that each batch of the vaccine includes 50,000 doses, and the first group to receive the vaccine will be medical workers.

Additionally, she said the ministry is aiming to buy 40 additional million doses of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, 20 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, and 40 million doses of a vaccine through the World Health Organization (WHO).

Zayed explained that inoculating people with the Chinese vaccine will start when the second batch arrives, which will include 50,000 additional doses, adding that the second batch is expected to arrive in the second or third week of January. 

Zayed said the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine is also expected to arrive in the third or fourth week of January.

Zayed said that the vaccination will not be free of charge, saying that "Those who are able to pay for it will buy it."

However, she said that there will be a mechanism to provide it free of charge to those who are unable to pay for it.

Egypt has confirmed a total 140,878 COVID-19 cases and 7,741 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.