Morocco concerned about drop in vaccination campaign

CASABLANCA - Vaccination centres in Morocco continue to see a significant drop in the number of citizens to be inoculated, worrying authorities as they prepare for a possible increase in COVID-19 cases during the year-end festivities.

Morocco imposed the Vaccine Pass in October 21 on all Moroccans to access their workplace, restaurants and other public places as well as for national and international air travel.

The government’s move was intended to encourage higher vaccination rates - leading to an increase in the number of people attending vaccination centres immediately after its announcement, but which began to slow down soon after.

After protests last month, the government said businesses could also use a negative COVID-19 test showing proof of vaccination instead of a Vaccine Pass, but most business premises, already affected by many closures that had been exacerbated by the pandemic, seemed oblivious to the decision in a bid to keep their customers.

Morocco is the most vaccinated country in Africa, having 22.7 million people doubly vaccinated out of a total population of 36 million.

With 4.5 million Moroccans who still need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to achieve collective immunity, Professor Moulay Said Afif, paediatrician and member of the Technical and Scientific Committee at the Ministry of Healthcare, told the media a strengthening of the state of emergency measures and a tightening of preventive and health measures in the coming days was planned.

Morocco continued its policy of fighting the pandemic and protecting its citizens against the new Omicron variant, closing its air and sea borders on November 30 for two weeks and suspending its flights with France from November 25 until further notice.