Morocco Aims for Herd Immunity by June as Vaccination Campaign Progresses

Speaking to the MAP, the physician and researcher in health policies and systems, Tayeb Hamdi, made some observations on the campaign, and the effectiveness of the vaccine against the British variant. The specialist’s main goal is to appease and reassure the population, so that fear, doubts and hesitations do not hinder the smooth running of the campaign, on which the much-sought-after collective immunity depends.

For the researcher, Morocco has made great efforts for the success of this campaign, which is progressing gradually. From frontline people, the campaign has been extended to people over 75 years of age, to people over 65 years of age and, more recently, to people between 64 and 60 years of age, as well as those with chronic diseases without age limit. A strategy that, according to Tayeb Hamid, makes Morocco a model in this area.

In a recent statement, Health Minister Khalid Ait Taleb indicated that if the campaign progresses without obstacles and the expected vaccine doses arrive on time, collective immunity could be achieved in May. For the doctor, with the latest developments, we have to count until the month of June to hope for this immunity. He points out that this will be the time to lift the territorial restrictions for a return to normal. But vigilance must be maintained, given Morocco’s relations with other countries.

When asked whether receiving the two doses protects against any new infection, Tayeb Hamid specifies that a low risk of contamination remains possible, given the vaccine’s efficacy rate. "Even people whose immunity has not been acquired 100% after vaccination will, in case of contamination, be affected by a mild, even benign form of Covid-19."

As for the British variant, of which cases have been detected in Morocco, the researcher points out that the Sinopharm and Astrazeneca vaccines are effective against this variant. "People vaccinated in Morocco are protected against the classic strain as well as against the British variant. It should be noted that the mutations of the British variant at the Spike protein level have not affected immunity, unlike the South African and Brazilian variants, which pose a problem for immunity."