Rabat – The Kuwaiti Embassy in Morocco issued on January 1 an official statement calling on Kuwaiti citizens in the North African country to return home following the recent updates in the COVID-19 situation.
The statement, issued by the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry, urges citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and remain vigilant to curb the spread of COVID-19, especially the highly-infectious new strain, Omicron.
It urges Kuwaiti citizens to return home, as the rapid spread of COVID-19 may prompt overnight lockdowns and irregularities in flight cancellations.
Spreading at a faster rate than the Delta valiant, Omicron has sparked widespread concerns about the possibility of new lockdowns around the world. With some countries enacting a zero-COVID policy, such as New Zealand and China, it’s unclear when the world will return to pre-COVID normality.
Morocco also imposed many measures to curb the spread of Omicron, ranging from banning public gatherings to closing down borders.
Despite the positive progress in its vaccination campaign, Morocco still banned all New Year’s Eve celebrations, prompting widespread dissatisfaction in the tourism sector. There were hopes that the holidays would revive businesses.
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Morocco has the highest vaccination rates on the African continent, with more than half the population fully vaccinated. Three million people have already received the booster shot.
Moroccan authorities imposed the travel ban hours after the first cases of Omicron were reported worldwide and then extended until January 31, 2022.
With the expected spike in the first weeks of 2022, experts indicate that COVID-19 should be well under control by spring 2022. This prospect may be hindered by citizens’ unwillingness to receive the vaccine.
