Morocco Unveils Phased Plan to Lift COVID-19 Lockdown Measures

Available since May 5, 2020, the roadmap for the lifting of confinement outlines the scenarios for the gradual lifting of confinement measures. It also recalls the major measures adopted by the kingdom, which have proven effective. The document discusses the objectives of confinement and its impact on the pandemic. It indicates that the kingdom’s measures have made it possible to avoid 300,000 to half a million new cases and 9,000 to 15,000 estimated deaths based on a 3% mortality rate, and up to 7,750 cases in intensive care. In addition, there are no cases or negligible cases in certain regions of Morocco, such as Casablanca-Settat for example, with a 1.09% reproduction rate, reports hespress.com.

The document states that the various indicators are favorable for a beginning of deconfinement, even if it is necessary not to relax the vigilance of respect for barrier measures. Several arguments for confinement, essential for health and socio-economic reasons, have been taken into account by the Ministry of Health for the deconfinement. The roadmap presents two scenarios. The first is based on controlled professional and closed community outbreaks. At this level, the document recommends maintaining the current health system until the end of the epidemic. The second recommends encouraging populations to maintain strict hygiene and social distancing practices, due to the ups and downs of the disease.

The lifting of confinement must be part of the overall strategy for controlling the pandemic based on prerequisites, the document indicates, insisting on health care systems with sufficient capacity to cope with a new epidemic and appropriate surveillance capacities. In any case, a total and abrupt exit from confinement presents a high risk, which is why the document has proposed the establishment of a territorial governance in charge of the exit from confinement.