Rabat – The Moroccan government is pleased with the growing demand for vaccination after the adoption of the compulsory vaccine pass, according to a statement from the Head of Government’s office.
In the statement, the government stressed that achieving group immunity and returning to normal life will only come with the broad participation of all in this national effort.
“After the boldness of the new precautionary approach based on the adoption of the vaccination passport as a basic document for movement, the government commends the great involvement of citizens who responded to this national call, and engaged heavily, in the national vaccination campaign against COVID-19,” reads the statement.
This week, Moroccan health authorities managed to vaccinate 1,333,251 citizens with various doses – first, second, or third.
This long-overdue wave of vaccination follows a stagnation that plagued the national vaccination campaign for the last few months. The adoption of the vaccine pass mandate was to address the lull observed in the past weeks’ vaccination numbers, the statement appeared to suggest.
It recalled that the government’s goal is to reach an 80% national vaccination rate by the end of the year, to lift the remaining restrictions and return to a “normal life.”
According to the latest data from the health ministry, 438,120 citizens received the first dose last week, while 552,376 received the second dose, and 342,735 citizens received the third dose.
While there have been reports of serious vaccine resistance and vaccine pass protests across the country, it appears the government’s strategy has succeeded in encouraging Moroccans to rush to vaccination centers.
Still, some observers believe – or hope – that the opposition of a non-negligible section of the society may lead the Moroccan government to either rescind the vaccine pass decision or call for a “national conversation” that will come with an extension of the date of entry into force.
Many Moroccans gathered last week in various cities to hold protests against the vaccine, while cafe, restaurant and movie theatre managers issued statements condemning the adoption of a compulsory vaccine passport.
Multiple petitions calling for the delay or retraction of the mandate are also making headlines, with many pointing out the legal “infractions” a compulsory vaccine passport imposes on Moroccans’ freedoms.
As the anti-vaccine pass discourse grows in volume, more citizens are questioning the repercussions of the government’s “ aggressive approach.”
As of this afternoon, Morocco’s daily COVID-19 infections are decreasing, despite looming threats of a possible fourth wave in December, and reports of case surges in Europe.
