Morocco Prepares for Potential New Covid Wave as Europe Faces Fifth Surge

"I did not think in March 2020 that Morocco would be able to cope with the pandemic. Thanks to this approach and the efforts of all Moroccans, the Kingdom is winning the international competition at all levels. I am proud that my country has achieved a growth rate of around 5.5% in the midst of the pandemic," the professor said in his post.

Analyzing the health situation in Europe which is already in its fifth wave, the professor points out that in terms of proactive crisis management, all the worst-case scenarios must be considered. "What is happening in Denmark, France and the United Kingdom could foreshadow what could happen in Morocco," he stressed, recalling that this wave has already killed 500,000 people in Europe, two-thirds of them in Hungary, Romania and Russia, according to WHO data.

To read: Morocco’s Health Minister Urges Caution Despite Improved COVID-19 Situation

"I see a lot of hope in what is happening in Western Europe, despite the fifth wave. All the data from these countries indicate that we are approaching the stage of coexistence with the virus, as is the case with the flu virus. [...] Although flu vaccinations do not protect against the spread of the disease, the vaccine protects people from critical flu cases," the professor also noted.

Morocco has already vaccinated 62% of its population, while European countries like France, Spain and Portugal have reached 80% vaccination rates, Ibrahimi analyzes, adding that Morocco must "learn the lessons and teachings of the countries that precede us in the face of the fifth wave" and prepare "to face any potential wave". The professor concluded his post by urging Moroccans to get vaccinated.