Morocco Reopens Hammams with New Health Protocols Amid Pandemic

It’s a relief for owners and customers: public baths closed since August 3 are open again, in accordance with the easing of health restrictive measures decided by the government, reports le Monde, adding that the difficulties of the sector’s players have been accentuated by an indifference of the Moroccan authorities.

For a long time, the owners have been crying out for help, demanding government support. Several sit-ins have been organized and correspondence sent to the authorities in order to benefit from subsidies.

This led Jilali Harifi, the owner of four hammams in Casablanca and Safi, to say that "it is time to open", adding that "Except for the first three months of the pandemic, we have not received any state aid and we are now at risk of bankruptcy." The professional was referring to the improvement in the epidemiological situation in the kingdom.

However, this relaxation will not be without conditions. Gauge, wearing a mask, health measures. In practice, Moroccans will be able to go there. But partially since a gauge of 50% of the reception capacity will have to be respected.

In Morocco, the sector employs 280,000 people. The long closure has resulted in the loss of employment for many of them. "You have to know that the employees are mainly paid by tips," recalls Jilali Harifi.

Over the years, these informal workers have created an ecosystem by pooling tips, the newspaper points out, specifying that they earn between 10 and 40 euros per day depending on the area. "But many have returned to their village in the countryside. This phenomenon jeopardizes an ancestral tradition and a unique know-how," laments Layla Fatma, a former masseuse who has become a cleaning lady in Casablanca.