Morocco to start vaccination campaign next week

Morocco is ready to roll out AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines next week after it has received a first consignment of doses made in India. The country has also green-lighted China’s Sinopharm.

This makes Morocco the first country in Africa to receive a significant vaccine batch amid global outcry for an equal sharing of the vaccines.

Moroccan health ministry has also given a permit to use China’s Sinopharm vaccines and expects a first batch on January 27.

It said that vaccines will target at an initial stage staff in the sectors of health, security, army and education as well as old people.

Morocco has ordered 66 million vaccine doses and completed all logistical preparations to launch the campaign, which, according to directives of the King, will be free.

So far Morocco prepared 3000 vaccine locations and mobilized 25,531 health workers for the campaign which he said once started will run for 12 weeks.

Head of the government Saad Eddine EL Othmani has ascribed the delay in receiving the vaccine to the enormous demand. “It was natural for countries that produce the vaccine to purchase the first output,” he said.

As of January 22, Morocco has registered 464,844 coronavirus cases and 8,105 fatalities.