The campaign will start as soon as Morocco receives the first doses from one of the contracted companies, the official vowed.
Rabat – Minister of Health Khalid Ait Taleb said on Tuesday that Morocco has not yet received any doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
In a presentation to the House of Representatives, Khalid Ait Taleb said Morocco will launch the COVID-19 vaccine campaign when the country receives doses from one of the companies that signed an agreement with Rabat.
The official told the Social Sectors Committee of the House of Representatives fake news about the vaccine and the national campaign against COVID-19 is circulating online.
On December 8, King Mohammed VI ordered the government to ensure Moroccans can receive a COVID-19 vaccine free of charge.
The vaccine campaign concerns citizens over the age of 18. The government, however, will prioritize frontline workers such as medical staff, public authorities, security officers, and educational employees.
The elderly and people with chronic diseases will also be Morocco’s priority during the program.
The minister will subsequently extend the vaccine to the rest of the population to preserve public health and reduce the economic and social repercussions of COVID-19, while ensuring a vaccination rate of nearly 80% of the population.
Morocco signed agreements with several partners, including Sinopharm.
Earlier this month, Ait Taleb said Morocco will use the vaccine developed by China.
The health minister said the vaccine will not be obligatory, but warned that people who travel abroad will need a COVID-19 vaccination passport.
According to an interview the Moroccan official held with Sputnik News, Russia and Morocco will also hold talks to discuss whether Rabat will use the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine.
Morocco vowed to launch a communication campaign about the vaccine before the launch of vaccinations to inform the public of the benefits of the inoculation and to prevent the spread of fake news.
The official informed the committee that Morocco is adopting a computerized system to manage the national vaccination campaign against the virus.
The system will include pre-registration. Registration will be automatic for people who have an ID card or residence permit.
People in Morocco without an ID card or a residence permit will have to register themselves with local authorities.
After registration, people will receive a short message via the number 1717 to inform them of the date and place of vaccination.
The system will also include an electronic record of vaccination, identifying data of the person, type of vaccine, and dates.
