While Moroccans are on vacation, the Covid-19 is on the rise again. 1,956 new cases were, in fact, identified in 24 hours, Saturday June 18.
The positivity rate is also on the rise while hospitalizations, resuscitations and deaths remain limited for the moment and confirm the hypothesis of the benignity of this episode even if some fear the arrival of a new wave this summer.
So is this really the case? Or is it just a wavelet before the holidays? The experts, all rather reassuring for the weeks to come, are still unaware of it but make a unanimous observation: the Covid-19 has started to rise again throughout the country.
Faced with this virus which circulates all year round, SO, a biologist at the CHU Ibn Rochd in Casablanca, pleads for a revival of vaccination. She also regrets that masks are no longer part of the daily life of Moroccans. “There is a resumption of the epidemic and it is completely unexpected compared to the season”, warns this specialist. “With the new current variants which are more contaminating, the epidemic finds fresh blood even though we have passed the period of the cold season”, she continues.
So what are the best ways to protect yourself during the current season? For most people, that means getting fully vaccinated with a booster or two, and wearing masks indoors and on public transport. People should also prioritize outdoor activities and avoid social interactions.
For vulnerable people, over the age of 80, immunocompromised or unvaccinated suffering from pathologies, they must provide easy access to Covid tests in the event of symptoms, and to effective antiviral drugs in the event of a positive test.
Our specialist also said he was optimistic about our ability to contain this increase in summer contamination, in particular because many Moroccans were vaccinated at the beginning of the year or were infected. But, according to her, “this immunity will start to fray and we will not be able to go beyond the autumn period” without a new vaccine booster.
It must be emphasized that vaccines and treatments have made all the difference in this pandemic. Before vaccines were widely distributed, we experienced a form of medieval pandemic response, with lockdowns and curfews.
Today, with the notable exceptions of China and North Korea, we have entered a much more modern phase of the pandemic, which allows people to resume most of their previous activities.
Indeed, most democracies have moved away from harsh restrictions, opting for more liberal approaches that allow people to protect themselves when they feel the need. It would be difficult to reimplement these past measures without convincing arguments.
Of course, if a highly transmissible and virulent strain emerges, there won’t be as much debate about whether to take strict action. But with the existing strains circulating, the government sees no reason to continue to apply most of the old measures, even if they have proven useful in the recent past.
Mehdi Ouassat
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