Despite a new wave of COVID that has been sweeping across the US and China for the last few weeks, Morocco has not yet recorded any cases of the new EG5.1 variant (also known as Eris, a subvariant of Omicron), according to Dr. Moulay Said Afif, a senior member of Morocco’s Scientific Committee for Vaccination.
Nonetheless, Dr. Afif warned that the Eris variant proliferates quickly, unlike some previous COVID variants, so there is a continuing need for people to exercise caution to prevent transmission of the virus across the Moroccan population.
Afif urged people to take precautions before entering the cooler fall season, especially vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with compromised immune systems. They need to be fully vaccinated, he said.
The Ministry of Health previously reported that it has not recorded any case of the new EG5.1 variant, but also warned that people should be fully vaccinated to protect themselves against emerging strains.
The Ministry also recommended that people with respiratory symptoms, such as coughing or sneezing, wear a mask and socially distance themselves from others to help prevent spreading these new viral strains.