File photo: A woman holding vials labelled "coronavirus vaccine" (Reuters)
Egypt’s Health Minister Hala Zayed said on Saturday that 126 centres nationwide have started to issue certificates for people who wish to document that they were vaccinated against the coronavirus, a statement by the ministry read.
The certificate costs EGP100 for Egyptians and $10 for non-Egyptians, Health Ministry Spokesperson Khaled Megahed said in the statement.
Megahed noted that the certificates are secured by Egypt's recently-inaugurated Secured and Smart Documents Complex and have QR codes, which can easily be verified at airports worldwide.
When scanning the QR code via a mobile phone, the certificate holder’s information will appear, Megahed clarified.
The certificate will facilitate multiple procedures for travellers who had earlier had to obtain a vaccination certificate from the Ministry of Health before documenting it at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and translating it at the foreign embassy.
Megahed stated that the Egypt Health Passport application is being finalised in two versions for Android and iPhone to serve as an electronic health passport that can be used at international airports by showing the vaccination status.
According to the World Health Organisation's figures released on 26 July, 5.3 million doses have been administered in Egypt, which has a population of 102 million.
Egypt’s tally of coronavirus cases has thus far reached 284,215 infections, including 16,518 deaths and 229,712 recoveries.
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