Morocco’s Vaccine Pass Mandate Sparks Public Outcry and Online Protests

Under the hashtag #PassDeLaHonte (Shameful Pass), many Moroccans have cried out their discontent over the implementation of the vaccine pass. They mainly blame the government for having made a decision with immediate implementation. "This mandatory vaccine pass is a shame and an abuse of authority. Imposing it is an aberration, doing so without a moratorium of at least one month is an attack on the dignity of Moroccans," some believe.

For others, "this decision is a strategy adopted by the competent authorities, in order to accelerate the vaccination campaign and force the reluctant to go to the vaccination centers." According to the Ministry of Health, about 6.5 million Moroccans are still hesitant and struggling to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

Despite the reasons put forward by the government to justify the decision, the reluctant Moroccans see it as a disguised way of imposing the vaccine. For them, they were expecting an easing of restrictive measures and not a tightening. "In most countries in the world, when the health situation improves, restrictive measures are eased. With us, it’s the opposite. While almost all the indicators are in the green, we are imposing a generalized #vaccinationpass to access public and private spaces," fumes an Internet user.

But there are not only the disgruntled. Some citizens have applauded the initiative, calling on the government to hold firm so that herd immunity is achieved as soon as possible. From Thursday, October 21, 2021, access to hotels and tourist establishments, restaurants, cafes, indoor spaces, shops, gyms and hammams will be subject to presentation of the vaccine pass.