In the meantime, unvaccinated public servants will be required to undergo a PCR test every week, and in some workplaces, twice per week at their own expense, Saad said in a televised statement to Al-Hayat TV.

Saad urged those who have not been inoculated to receive their jabs, saying that this is mandatory for public servants.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has ordered all ministers to issue a decree forbidding employees from entering government institutions unless they submit proof of vaccination or a PCR test every three days for those who refuse to receive the vaccine, according to a document issued by the cabinet on 26 September.

Some 2.4 million out of 3.4 million employees working at the state’s administrative apparatuses have been vaccinated, health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said on 17 September.

As of 27 September 2021, a total of 16,223,309 vaccine doses have been administered in Egypt, according to the World Health Organization.

Egypt, which is currently facing the fourth wave of the pandemic, recorded 741 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, bringing the total infection tally officially to 304,524 since the outbreak began in February 2020, the health ministry said in its daily coronavirus update statement.