Morocco Tightens COVID-19 Restrictions as Cases Surge, Considers Lockdown

Until last Friday, Morocco had 1,250 new cases of infection, bringing the total number of infected people to 539,839 since the beginning of the pandemic. The mortality rate is 1.7%, although 751 people have newly recovered. Faced with this situation and to avoid a sharp rise, the Ministry of Health intends to extend the vaccination campaign against Covid to Moroccans aged between 35 and 39, inviting them to send an SMS to 1717 or consult the website www.liqahcorona.ma to obtain an appointment and the location to get vaccinated.

In addition, any person over 40 who has not yet been vaccinated is invited to do so in one of the vaccination centers so that herd immunity is achieved. It is also essential to maintain compliance with preventive measures.

There is also news on the vaccine protocol. This Friday, following Pfizer-BioNTech, the president of AstraZeneca, France Olivier Nataf, announced that the laboratory also wishes to request authorization for a third modified and more effective vaccine against variants. This dose will strengthen the protection of people already vaccinated, especially against Delta.

But so far, the response from the authorities in Rabat is awaited, in a context where another variant more contagious and devastating than Delta, called Epsilon or "the Californian", has just emerged. Already, some regions are redoubling their vigilance regarding restrictive measures. But some information warns of a possible re-confinement, especially as Eid al-Adha is fast approaching.