The epidemiological situation in Morocco remains stable even after the appearance of the first omicron case and this, thanks to the measures taken by the competent authorities, said Dr. Moulay Said Afif, member of the National Technical and Scientific Advisory Committee on Vaccination. However, he stressed, a third dose is needed to ensure herd immunity and to cope with the new variant.
In an interview with Map-Casablanca, Dr. Afif, also president of the Moroccan Society of Medical Sciences (SMSM), emphasized the importance and effectiveness of the measures taken by the state to reduce the spread of the virus, while sounding the alarm on the increase in the number of infected cases.
"We went from 100 cases per day to more than 200 currently, hence the need for all to go and get vaccinated for those not vaccinated, and to have a third dose for those who have not yet received it," he stressed.
For Dr. Afif, Morocco's decision to suspend air flights and to control travelers on departure and arrival are measures that can "slow down the spread of the virus".
Regarding the appearance of the first case of Omicron in Morocco, the specialist explained that it is a virus that mutates, stressing that this fifth variant of Covid is the most contagious, which is why it was recently classified dangerous by the WHO.
The contagiousness of omicron is similar to that of chickenpox, said Dr. Afif, warning that it affects more people with low immunity.
He recalled that the first case of infection with the new variant of the coronavirus was recorded in a thirty-year-old woman who is in a "stable condition", and is under medical supervision in accordance with the health measures in force.
To face this new variant, Dr. Afif insisted on the importance of respecting the barrier measures, including social distancing, correct wearing of the mask and frequent hand washing. He also stressed the importance of accelerating the vaccination campaign.
Dr. Afif urged non-vaccinated people to "go to medical centers to get their vaccinations," saying that vaccination is the "only tool to curb the spread of this virus and preserve public health”.
Only a complete and general vaccination will allow to deal with this virus, he underlined.
In addition, this member of the Technical and Scientific Committee emphasized the role of the media in the fight against fake news, praising the role played by MAP agency in raising awareness and dissemination of verified information.
