Unvaccinated employees working in education sector in Egypt will be required to conduct a PCR test twice a week to be allowed into educational premises nationwide, according to a new order.

A directive released by Egyptian Minister of Education Tarek Shawki on Thursday said that only vaccinated employees will be allowed into workplaces after providing a valid certificate showing their vaccination status, with unvaccinated ones to be required to conduct PCR test twice a week.

The new measure applies to all public and private schools and administrative directorates, according to the circular.

The minister said those who have health contradictions that prevent them to receive the vaccines will be exempt from the new rules, local media reports.

The new rules comes as the Egyptian government seeks to guarantee "a safe" academic year for all students and staff, particularly with the return of in-person classes at the Egyptian schools and universities.

Minister Shawki urged for applying attendance rules for all workers, according to the circular.

The Egyptian government has announced that vaccination is mandatory for all teaching staff, employees, and workers, as well as students who are 18 or above at lower and higher education institutions in Egypt.

The country is also planning to vaccinate all the high school and preparatory school students in the upcoming period, particularly after the inauguration of the second production line of VACSERA, currently working with a designated line production to manufacture up to 80 million doses of Sinovac vaccine by December.

The announcement was made by Health Minister Halal Zayed during a press conference on Thursday.

According to the latest figures announced by Egyptian health officials last week, out of the 102-million population more than 13 million people have been vaccinated in Egypt.