Morocco Considers Partial Border Reopening as COVID-19 Committee Advises Easing Restrictions

Due to the rapid spread of the new variant of the Covid-19 virus — Omicron (B.1.1.529), particularly in Europe and Africa, and in order to preserve the achievements made by Morocco in the fight against the pandemic and protect the health of citizens, the Moroccan authorities have decided to suspend all direct passenger flights to the Kingdom of Morocco, for a period of 2 weeks, from Monday, November 29, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. The national scientific and technical committee on Covid-19 has just issued a favorable opinion on the partial reopening of the borders, reports Le360.

This opinion is motivated by the "stable and unworrying" epidemiological situation in the kingdom. On Tuesday, Michael Ryan, WHO emergency manager, provided explanations on the Omicron variant, which first appeared in South Africa. "We have very effective vaccines that have demonstrated their power against all variants so far, in terms of disease severity and hospitalization, and there is no reason to think that this would not be the case with Omicron," he explained.

It is up to the government council to examine the opinion of the scientific committee. The lifting of the suspension of flights and maritime links could take place in the coming days, but not all countries will be concerned. Restrictions will certainly be maintained for the countries of southern Africa where the Omicron variant is still raging.