COVID-19: Morocco gives go ahead to AstraZeneca vaccine

Morocco has approved the emergency use of AstraZeneca vaccine for 12 months as it plans a mass vaccination campaign benefiting more than 80% of the population, the health ministry said.

The approval came after the vaccine was approved in the UK, India and Argentina.

Morocco has ordered 66 million vaccine doses from AstraZeneca and Sinopharm. The latter has conducted clinical trials in Morocco and has been green-lighted in China but not yet in Morocco.

Morocco plans to vaccinate all people over 18, starting with frontliners, vulnerable people and the elderly.

King Mohammed VI has ordered that the vaccine should be delivered for free to all Moroccans.