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Rabat – Morocco’s scientific and technical committee on COVID-19 is meeting today to discuss whether to recommend extending the recently announced suspension of air and maritime travel or end the ban.
Initially, the government decided to suspend travel amid mounting concerns over the outbreak of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus in several countries, including in Southern Africa and in Europe.
In the statement announcing its travel ban, the government said that both air and maritime travel would be suspended for two weeks until December 13 as part of the country’s measure to shield itself against a potential outbreak of the Omicron variant.
With signs in recent days that the global Omicron panic might have been slightly exaggerated, Morocco’s scientific and technical committee on COVID-19 met today to discuss Morocco’s COVID strategy in light of data compiled in the past few days.
According to sources from Le360, the commission has already recommended lifting the travel ban.
With the country’s COVID Committe having recommended the non-extension of the travel ban, it remains to be seen wether the government will make an official decision about the matter this week.
“The decision is based on the opinion of the national scientific and technical committee of the COVID-19 which met this Wednesday, December 8, 2021 in Rabat,” the source said.
Resumption of air and maritime travel, however, will take place gradually as the commission is planning to recommend maintaining travel restrictions for countries in southern Africa.
Prior to generalizing travel suspension, Morocco banned travel for passengers from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, and Eswatini.
The North African country also decided to suspend travel with Zimbabwe as part of its emergency plan against COVID.
A few days later, Morocco decided to suspend all flights for two weeks.
Health professionals expressed satisfaction with Morocco’s decision, saying that the suspension would give the country enough time to analyze the new strain and see whether it would impact its largely successful campaign against COVID-19.
Some health experts also called on the government to further strengthen restrictions, saying that the country could not risk letting the Omicron variant enter its territory amid lack of information on its mutations and potential resistance to COVID vaccines.
