A day at a Vaccine Center in New Cairo

By the end of November 2021, a total of 36.9 million vaccine doses have been administered in Egypt out of over 70 million doses of different types of vaccines delivered – most of which by UNICEF through the COVAX facility.

The Egyptian government is taking serious steps to avoid the lockdown scenario or pressuring the healthcare system as mutant COVID-19 strains are hitting the world. Among these steps are increasing the demand on vaccines by restricting access to universities and governmental facilities for non-vaccinated citizens, while increasing the supply through establishing vaccination centers in university campuses, metro and train stations, youth centers and sports clubs.

In this photo essay, we met with some of the Egyptian and non-Egyptians coming to get their doses at a vaccination center in New Cairo and listened to their take on the process: Why is it now more important than ever to take the vaccine? How quick and easy was it?

More people from different age groups and nationalities are getting vaccinated against COVID-19

UNICEF/Egypt 2021/Ahmed Emad

This whole family got vaccinated today at the Qattameya Primary Healthcare Unit (PHU)! One of its members registered for the rest of the family and they got SMSs with good news: they could all receive the vaccine at the same time and place. In less than an hour, the whole family was safe: from the youngest (a high school student) to the oldest (a retired officer).

UNICEF/Egypt 2021/Ahmed Emad

From Germany, Peter came to live in Egypt 20 years ago. He describes his experience with the registration and receiving the vaccine in Egypt as "easy, fast and without long waiting." Also from Germany, Egypt received 850,560 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in September 2021.

UNICEF/Egypt 2021/Ahmed Emad

Seif is a 20-year-old college student studying information systems. As schools are back in full capacity starting October 2021, a decree by the Supreme Council of Universities made COVID-19 vaccination compulsory to all students. But regardless of the decree, Seif believes that getting vaccinated is an important responsibility for every young person of his age: "If you don’t care for your own health, think about your family’s.”

UNICEF/Egypt 2021/Ahmed Emad

Shaimaa (on the right) comes again to the Qattameya PHU today ahead of her second shot’s date, not to get vaccinated this time but to encourage her friend Hayam after her positive experience at the same place. “It’s a nice place with no long waiting” she says.

UNICEF/Egypt 2021/Ahmed Emad

Ibrahim is a nephrologist from Ghana who has been living and working in Egypt for some time. For him, the procedures for applying and receiving the vaccine was easy and straightforward with no issues because of his different nationality. In Egypt, COVID-19 vacciness are available for Egyptians and foreigners alike.

UNICEF/Egypt 2021/Ahmed Emad

Because of the nature of his work as a dentist assistant, Muhammad works with many patients every day. He says: "I applied for the vaccine yesterday on the afternoon, got the SMS at night, and came to take it today." With the UNICEF-supported arrival of more doses of different vaccines, waiting lists in many vaccination centers are too short.

UNICEF/Egypt 2021/Ahmed Emad

While Nagla was waiting for her turn after registering on the Ministry of Health's website to receive the vaccine, she needed to travel abroad. With the help of her daughter, she was able to modify her request on the website to receive urgent vaccination. In few days, she was at Qattameya PHU to receive the vaccine. The arrival of shipments of various vaccines has contributed to the ministry's rapid response to citizens' urgent vaccine needs. For instance, UNICEF delivered 546,400 doses as a grant from the French government and AVAT in September 2021.

UNICEF/Egypt 2021/Ahmed Emad

Shorouk is a corporate employee. She believes that even if it does not fully protect her from COVID-19, the vaccination will make her "less sick." She received the AstraZeneca vaccine by the end of October 2021, and the UK provided 299,700 doses of this vaccine to Egypt in August 2021. In the same month and of the same vaccine, the third shipment of the COVXA initiative arrived procured by UNICEF and funded by governments in several countries.

وتعتبر يونيسف شريكًا أساسيًا للحكومة المصرية في توريد اللقاحات وتوفير اللوجيستيات المتعلقة بسلسلة التبريد لحفظها. — يونيسف/مصر2021

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A day at a Vaccine Center in New Cairo

More people from different age groups and nationalities are getting vaccinated against COVID-19

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