With several European countries reporting cases of the new Covid-19 Omicron variant, Morocco’s vaccination drive continues to drop as vaccination centers across the country remain “quasi-empty.”
Some 4.5 million Moroccans have yet to receive a shot of a Covid-19 vaccine, which led several health officials to warn of the “dangers” the next outbreak might bring, especially with the current wave ravaging Europe, and the emergence of the new variant “of concern.”
According to virologist Ihsan El Meskini, the spread of rumors on social media platforms is a big reason behind the drop in vaccination rates, as many claim that the vaccines cause “a lot of complications”.
The health expert told Hespress in a statement that “any medication or vaccine, regardless of its types, can have side effects,” adding that the number of people who suffered side effects is very small compared to the immense number of people who’ve been inoculated worldwide.
Morocco has fully vaccinated more than 60% of its population, but health officials reiterate that the drop in vaccination rates and the refusal to receive the third booster shot is behind the delay in achieving mass immunity against the coronavirus.
According to El Meskini, Morocco’s health ministry needs to create a “new communication strategy to explain the importance of vaccination, especially with the emergence of the new variant, since variants always cause new outbreaks.”
Morocco must prepare for the imminent Omicron-driven Covid-19 wave, the health official warned, stressing the importance of the booster shot for the elderly.
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