The gradual relaxation of preventive anti-Covid-19 measures and the conditional opening of borders do not mean that the virus has disappeared, warned Tayeb Hamdi, doctor and researcher in health policies and systems. In an analysis of the epidemiological situation in the Kingdom, Dr. Hamdi added that these measures do not mean either that the variants, discovered in Morocco, have disappeared, that the success of the national vaccination campaign has reached all its objectives and that the Kingdom is safe from an epidemiological relapse. He also emphasized the need to adhere to preventive measures to break the chains of spread of the virus and to vaccinate target groups to reduce severe cases and deaths despite the slight but controlled rise in infections among others. groups. After recalling the opening of borders for Moroccans of the world and tourists under special conditions, the researcher noted that the relaxation of restrictive measures approved by the competent authorities several months ago has become a reality that Moroccans live today with ease, noting that this process is not a “one-way street” but rather a step which could be the object of a revision and a regression towards the rigor if the epidemiological situation evolves in the wrong way. It is also not a successful accumulative process by lightening preventive measures gradually and safely, he further warned. The virus is still spreading in Morocco, he added, stressing the need for its containment through individual and collective behavior even as the new strains and mutated versions are still a source of great concern and danger. The vaccination campaign has yet to achieve mass immunity, despite the Kingdom’s success globally in organizing an early, rapid, well-organized and fluid vaccination campaign. Observe Mr. Hamdi, believing that achieving collective immunity nationally and globally and ending the pandemic will take several more months. This is due to the slowdown in vaccination globally, to the increased pressure on vaccines from rich countries which, in addition to their acquisition of vaccines, have started to vaccinate children, he said. specified, noting that the latter will proceed after the administration of a third dose and booster doses to maintain the immunity of those vaccinated and strengthen it in vulnerable groups to the new strains. Thanks to the vaccination campaign, added Dr. Hamdi, the Kingdom was able to immunize and protect the most vulnerable groups against the coronavirus, namely the elderly and those with chronic diseases, claiming however that this category did not not been fully vaccinated, either through negligence or procrastination, or because of a false belief that she cannot contract the disease, which makes her, in the event of an epidemic relapse, more vulnerable to infection and requiring admission to intensive care. And the researcher to emphasize the importance of vaccinating citizens between the ages of thirty and fifty, noting that this age group, while less vulnerable to dangerous cases and death, has a death rate of less than one. deaths per thousand infections. Citing the conclusions of a recent scientific study concerning Covid-19, the researcher clarified that recent studies have shown that the Indian variant has become more widespread than the British mutant itself by more than 60%, which represents a source of concern to the whole world, knowing that the British mutant is more widespread than the original strain. And to note that a recent study carried out by a team from the University of Oxford with a mathematical model, on the two best performing regions in terms of vaccination in the world, and published at the end of May, showed that the lifting travel restrictions and the entry of new imported cases into a given region could reignite the epidemic even if the vaccination rate of the population exceeds 60%. The study attributed this to three main reasons, namely the possibility of transmitting the virus even after vaccination, the presence of an unvaccinated population and the emergence of strains more able to spread, knowing that the vaccine does not protect not 100% of the virus infection or the possibility of its transmission, despite the effectiveness of vaccines in preventing disease, completely preventing dangerous cases and reducing the risk of infection, explained Dr. Hamdi. After indicating that the epidemic can spread again with the entry of new cases initially and the existence of an environment conducive to the spread due to the absence of barrier measures, the study underlined that the goal is not to ban the easing of travel restrictions, but rather to exercise caution whenever they are relaxed in order to prevent the influx of new infections and their spread, through measures to reduce the possibility of infiltration of infections and mutants and their spread by observing precautionary measures, by continuing examinations, isolation and serious follow-up of contacts regardless of the progress of vaccination at very high rates. And the doctor and researcher in health policies and systems to stress the importance for citizens to be vaccinated, insisting on the need to vaccinate the rest of the professionals (trade, tourism, transport …) who are in intense contact with citizens, regardless of their age, while waiting for all targeted people to be vaccinated to ensure protective collective immunity for the individual and the community. In order for Morocco and Moroccans to enjoy a safe summer, it is everyone’s responsibility to follow simple, free and effective measures to prevent the coronavirus, concluded Dr. Hamdi.
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