Morocco Reassesses COVID Strategy as Herd Immunity Goal Proves Elusive

In an interview with SRNTnews, the expert, a member of the Moroccan scientific and technical committee, indicated that "the latest research indicates that collective immunity, the first hope to stifle the spread of the virus, is no longer a solution. The vaccine has proven insufficient to prevent and block the infection of vaccinated people and the transmission of the virus by them."

Although the vaccine protects against severe cases of Covid, it will not allow collective immunity to be achieved, specifies Mr. Hamdi.

"We were betting on collective immunity, because it was expected that once a large proportion of the population was immunized, the minority who were not vaccinated would be protected. We assumed that if, for example, 80% of the population is immunized, either by the vaccine or following an infection, this segment will play the role of an immune barrier protecting the remaining 20% who could not be vaccinated for one reason or another, because the virus could no longer spread," explains Dr. Hamdi.

Based on the public data communicated by the Ministry of Health (vaccination objectives, doses administered, available stock and natural immunization), the scientist estimated that the Delta variant has changed the situation, specifying that "vaccinated people are 3 to 4 times more protected from a Covid infection. Yet, with the Delta variant, unfortunately, even vaccinated people can be infected."

"The elderly will lose their immunity very quickly compared to the young. Our campaign started in January with the elderly, if the operation takes too long, we risk having people who lose their immunity," he stressed.

To avoid this scenario, there are means such as giving a booster vaccine. Either we vaccinate other people by casting a wider net beyond the target in order to complete the number required for herd immunity. All this to say that the figure for vaccine immunity also depends on the duration of antibodies, he concluded. In short, Dr. Hamdi recommends a third dose.