A real blow for Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, candidate in the regional elections in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. In the middle of the campaign for the regional elections, she tested positive for Covid-19. She must isolate herself for 10 days as recommended by the current health protocol.
Dr. Azzedine Ibrahimi, director of the biotechnology laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Rabat, also a member of the scientific and technical committee, says that four vaccine batches will be delivered to Morocco in the very near future. This is reassuring for Moroccans about the smooth running of the vaccination campaign.
While the controversy is raging around the use of the British vaccine Astrazeneca, Moroccan health officials are playing the card of reassurance. The national pharmacovigilance center says the country has recorded only a small number of cases of thrombosis after vaccination. However, any possibility of establishing a causal link is ruled out.
While the epidemiological indicators are stabilizing in Morocco, other symptoms sow doubt and even concern in people’s minds. These new signals confirm the presence of new variants in the kingdom.
Morocco has ordered nearly one million doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus. The details for the completion of this delivery, which will have to go through several stages, are in progress.
Except for travel to or from the West Indies, the French returning from abroad, including Morocco, are no longer required to provide compelling reasons. In a statement, the Council of State indicated that "the impact of these trips is minor on the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic".
The government council, on Thursday, March 4, adopted the implementing texts of Law No. 28-13, related to the regulation of biomedical research and clinical trials in Morocco . This adoption confirms the activities implemented by the teams of the Ministry of Health for about two years.
In order to accelerate the national vaccination campaign against the coronavirus, the National Technical and Scientific Advisory Vaccination Committee has opted for the use of two other vaccines. These are the Russian Sputnik V and the American Johnson-Johnson vaccines. However, for the latter case, Morocco will have to be patient.
Volunteers in clinical trials will now be able to benefit from allowances according to a scale set by the Ministry of Health. The researcher must first provide a booklet attesting that the use of the experimental drug or medical equipment does not present any risk to the volunteer, specifies a draft decree adopted by the government.
Morocco has approved the use of the Russian anti-Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V, and negotiations have already started between the two countries for its acquisition. To date, the kingdom has vaccinated more than 10% of its population.
Nearly 4 million Moroccans have already received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. The mass vaccination campaign is continuing normally and a batch of 500,000 vaccine doses has recently been received. But for a few days now, some observers have reported a possible vaccine shortage.
As many countries legalize cannabis for therapeutic use, Morocco could do the same and greatly benefit from a rapidly expanding global market.