Egypt tightens rules on unvaccinated officials, students

Egypt on Monday barred officials and students not vaccinated against Covid-19 from government offices and universities unless they show a negative PCR test.

Officials who have not had a jab must show a PCR test, which is prohibitively expensive in Egypt, “every three days to access their workplace”, the tourism and antiquities ministry said after a government order was issued.

The same rules apply for students to access universities, state newspaper Al-Ahram said.

The North African nation said the restrictions will be extended from December 1 to apply to all Egyptians.

Egypt wants to step up its vaccination drive, with some 40 million of its 102-million population having had at least one jab, according to acting health minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar.

Only 14 million have received the full two doses.

Egypt has officially registered almost 400,000 cases of coronavirus infection including 19,499 deaths.