Madbouly issued the decision during the cabinet's 161st session that was held on 22 September.

Egypt has intensified its efforts to vaccinate the largest possible number of citizens against the coronavirus, opening 1,100 vaccination centres so far, with the number continuing to increase.

The ministry also launched a campaign titled ‘Ma’an Natmaen’ (‘Together We are Reassured’), sending buses to 18 governorates to register citizens wanting to be inoculated, answer their questions, and relieve their concerns about the vaccine.

The health ministry seeks to inoculate 40 million citizens by the end of the year.

As of 23 September, more than 15 million doses have been administered in Egypt since the country's vaccination campaign started in January, according to the World Health Organisation.

Egypt vaccinated 2.4 million out of 3.4 million employees working at the state’s administrative apparatuses, according to Health Ministry Spokesman Khaled Megahed on 17 September.

On Saturday 25 September, Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar announced that the ministry will vaccinate its own employees, faculty members, and 20 percent of all university students by 9 October, and that students will not be admitted to university dormitories before they are vaccinated.

Students who refuse to get vaccinated will be required to undergo a weekly PCR test to be allowed to continue attending their classes. 

To increase daily vaccination rates and cover all sectors of Egyptian society, the country started producing the Chinese Sinovac coronavirus vaccine in the factories of the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA) this year.

On Thursday 23 September, Health Minister Hala Zayed assured that the ministry plans to vaccinate all high school and preparatory school students once VACSERA’s second vaccine production line begins working.

The line, which is due to be inaugurated in four weeks, will raise Egypt’s total production capacity of vaccines to one million doses per day.