spread of Omicron in Morocco worries authorities as poor demand for vaccination continues

As daily positive COVID-19 cases record a slight increase across Morocco, and with the confirmation of dozens of Omicron variant carriers, Moroccan authorities are worried a fourth wave will inevitably hit the country, as the national vaccination campaign lags behind.

Strong vaccination reluctance is weighing on health authorities, whether it comes to the two basic doses or the booster shot.

This Tuesday evening, the Ministry of Health announced that 27 new confirmed cases of the new Omicron mutant had been recorded, since the first infection was confirmed on Wednesday, December 15th.

According to data from the Ministry of Health, in the past 24 hours, only 74 citizens were administered various doses in the country.

The same source specifies, only four people received their first dose, while 10 were administered their second dose, and only 60 individuals on the national level received the third dose.

The total of vaccine administration in one day amounts to a mere 74, while more than 4 million people are yet to be vaccinated.

The health ministry says that “69.9% of the citizens were vaccinated with the first dose, 65.2% with the second dose, and only 6.5% with the third dose.”

As Morocco remains ready to vaccinate approximately 500,000 individuals daily, vaccines are getting closer to the risk of expiration. Most vaccine doses have longevity of ranging from one to six months, prompting vaccination centers to use the vaccines that are closest to damage, to avoid running out of stocks and vaccine wastage.

A possible fourth wave outbreak looms amid repeated government calls for citizens to get vaccinated.

Said Afif, a member of the national scientific committee to fight the COVID-19 outbreak, told Hespress AR that vaccination is the only solution, to avoid “a return to tighter precautionary measures” such as quarantine, curfews, and remote work.