COVID-19 - Morocco Master Thread

[TheWarden]

As far as I know just the one ferry. There was supposed to be one next week I think but unlikely now

[TheWarden]

French embassy has posted details of 2 more GNV ferries on their website.One on the 12th May and one on the 16th

Still no communication from the British Embassy on the matter

[donpablohahn]

I'm an American stuck in Fes with my motorcycle.

It seems like a ferry to Spain/Italy is not an option for me any time soon, as I'm not an EU/Schengen resident.

TAP airlines appears to be resuming flights once airspace reopens on June 1. I can purchase a single-itinerary flight back to the US, connecting through Lisbon.

QUESTIONS:

1) Can a US citizen currently fly through Lisbon, despite the Schengen border being closed to American tourists? (All Lisbon flights currently operating out of Terminal 1, so I assume no need to pass through immigration--more concerned about being denied boarding outright here in Morocco. I contacted the airline but no response.)

2) Anyone know someone in Casablanca, Fes, or Marrakesh who can help me store the motorcycle indefinitely? I'd prefer not to leave it with some random guy on the street with a chair. No idea when I can return and ferry to Spain.

[Chris Scott]

If it's just a transit in Lisbon on to US I am sure you could pass through.
Weren't the US embassy in Mk organising repat flights via Spain or Pt a few weeks back?
If they did it then, you can do it now.
I can't see immigration stopping you leaving Mk with a ticket right though to US, your home country.
And the same in Lisbon, assuming there is any immigration at all and you don't just move on to a transit lounge.
I would try and ask your consulate.

The rental place in Marrakech I work with would let you store the bike.
I was heading there in March but didn't quite make it.
Are people on the streets yet? Can you ride to Marrakech?
They would have to come in and open the garage up.
Don't know if that's allowed. If it is I may try and get my bike there too.

Airport is 15 mins from the place in Gueliz.

[TheWarden]

Another weeks in lockdown already, time strangley seems to pass quite quickly.

Evac ferries to Sete are still running and also some to Genoa Italy. date for the French option are now the 12th and 19th May.

GNV also are running weekly ferries in June so theres some light at the end of the tunnel for EU people (and Brits). Still huge numbers of people waiting to get out in various vehicles.

After 5 weeks with no information from the UK Embassy I pushed things a bit. Got in touch with my MP and got a response on Saturday night saying he had raised the issue with the Foreign Office. Emailed the embassy again to receive a message saying the previous email address wasn't monitored and to register on a new one (5 times registering with them so far. Then a friend put me in touch with a contact on the Embassy staff yesterday.

Not sure if its coincidence or as a result of MP, inside contacts but yesterday I had 2 emails and 2 phone calls from the Embassy.

If you want a place on the evac ferry, register here
https://www.gnv.it/fr/rapatriements-maroc.html

Otherwise book via GNV.it website.

UK embassy have then said to send them a copy of the booking confirmation and they will provide authorisation to travel to the ferry.

Meanwhile Morocco is planning for deconfinement but info is a little vague. Under discussion is easing restrictions region by region depending on the number of case, so we may see some regions open up while others don't.

Attached document is apparently an official one detailing current proposals, but I've not been able to verify this anywhere

[Tim Cullis]

The document mentioned above was posted on magharebnews.com in April, I don't know the actual date but likely to be 29 or 30 April.

FROM 1 MAY
• Gradual implementation of a deconfinement information system and monitoring of quarantines;
• Strengthening of diagnosis and early detection;
• Monitoring the generalization of wearing a mask;
• Authorization from provinces registering less than 10 workers are invited to create a local monitoring committee able to expand the list of authorized activities during the health emergency period;
• Expansion of the list of authorized activities, particularly in small shops and services (take-away, laundries, shoe repair, hairdressing, etc.);
• All ministerial departments prepare codes and guides relating to sanitary conditions recommended by sectoral activities;
• All industrial and service companies that do not welcome the public normal way are invited to prepare a plan of compliance with health rules, transmitted to the competent authorities and which can close establishments in case of non-compliance with the rules.

FROM 20 MAY to 1 JUNE
• Repeal and / or adaptation of the text on health emergency and replacement by a text providing for an additional month restrictions of national and international displacement as well as the possibility that the
Government take by simple decisions all appropriate measures;
• Back to school for all levels involved in qualifying exams (primary certificate, patent, baccalaureate, etc.) with strict measures and continuation for other levels of distance education;
• Organization of competitions with strict or distance rules;
• Transformation of the list of authorized essential activities into a list prohibited commercial activities and services (mainly cafes and on-site restaurant, high-traffic shops) and authorization to all other activities

FROM 1 JUNE TO 1 JULY
Proposal for a new package of measures by the CVE on the basis of a first evaluation of previous measures;
• Launch of the Zakat Fund;
• Resumption of the majority of commercial activities;
• Gradual reopening of national air, land and rail transport starting with the least affected regions;
• All ministers present stimulus packages for affected sectors

(Note: Operation Marhaba normally starts 15 July each year when Moroccan expats are welcomed back for summer holiday)

FROM 1 JULY
• Launch of a specific support plan for the most affected sectors and aid strategic companies;
• Tabling in Parliament of an amending finance law accompanied by a strategy recovery by public procurement and protective measures;
• Gradual resumption of international air traffic with control and strict screening of new arrivals;
• Encouragement of national consumption and internal tourism;
• Resumption of demonstrations of less than 50 people;
• Reopening of cafes and restaurants (on site) respecting distances minimum between clients.

DEPENDING HOW THINGS GO
• Preparation of a post-crisis plan (linked to the development model);
• Return to classes of all levels, schools and universities, if possible from mid-August;
• Gradual return of certain mass gatherings with rules accompanying sanitation;
• Total reopening of airspace.

Ferries to Spain will depend on the Spanish unlocking more than the Moroccan authorities. I've read elsewhere that Morocco intends to keep the borders with Ceuta and Melilla closed until September, but this might well change, see https://www.yabiladi.com/articles/de...rontieres.html

[Tim Cullis]

Although the title of this is encouraging (Spain: boats may resume June), there's actually nothing in the text that reflects this: https://www.bladi.net/espagne-voyage...mre,68453.html

English translation: Spain: boat trips may resume in June
May 6, 2020

Shipping companies operating in the Strait of Gibraltar are severely affected by the consequences of covid-19. Passenger traffic could resume in June, not before.

The return to normal of the activities of the shipping companies operating in the Strait of Gibraltar remains uncertain, in particular the resumption of normal passenger traffic between the two shores. The boarding of people with urgent travel needs is authorized upon presentation of an authorization granted by the administration of Sebta.

The government has announced recovery plans for maritime traffic, reports Ceutatv.com . If nothing particular changes in this sector until May 10, the situation will remain unchanged, as it has been since the entry into force of the state of emergency. The transport of goods to supply the population continues, despite announcements of a resumption of all traffic. The situation is identical in Tangier, because the Moroccan borders remain closed. A trend that seems to adopt the government of Ceuta, which has expressed its desire to keep the borders closed to effectively counter the virus.

The possibility of gradually recovering the transit of people between Algeciras and Sebta would be definitively open, even if the government's trend is to reduce capacity. Ships that provide this service are also affected. Companies are considering the possibility of resuming all departures to transport a much smaller number of passengers and vehicles, regardless of the price.

(Sebta is the Arabic name for Ceuta. How you are expected to get to Ceuta is another matter.)

[TheWarden]

Flights are available via Air France from the first of June apparently.

Moroccan government are expected to finalise deconfinement arrangement over the next week with parliament discussions on Monday.

I'm booked onto the sailing on the 13th. Others here leave this weekend on the evac ferry running ahead of the 20th May. It'll end up costing me a bit more than normal but with Brittany Ferries cancellation of all ferries I would have to drive up through France anyway. My open return to Algeciras is valid for 12 months so that's not such an issue.

Morocco's potential issues with Ceuta and Mellila seems to stem from rumours that Spain may not reopen until late summer, a little bit of tit for tat between the 2. Certainly Spain's refusal to allow EU national to leave via Ceuta has caused a lot of resentment from those still in Morocco.

[TheWarden]

Post lockdown strategy to be announced on the 18th.

Typically last minute but good news anyway

[priffe]

It should be said that coronavirus and influenza are rarely a problem outside the temperate regions of the world, and there only in the cold months of the year.

Why it has been reported as a major threat to health in Africa is a mystery.
Only six countries with over 100 deaths, and the numbers are falling. Clearly these cases were imported, and there is no local spread.
In Morocco, the numbers are falling
https://www.worldometers.info/corona...untry/morocco/
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries
The actions taken to counter the epidemic are much more damaging than the virus per se.
Example: Mauretania 8 cases 1 dead. Partial lockdown and nightly curfew.

[Tim Cullis]

Originally Posted by priffe

In Morocco, the numbers are falling

Not sure what numbers you are looking at.

My preference is the ACTIVE cases, in other words the total number detected, less recoveries and deaths. The figures below show no progress is being made—the number of active cases as of yesterday (3,263) is coincidentally identical to that of 12 days earlier.

Amd very few tests are being carried out; when calculated on the basis of tests/million of population, the UK with its less than ideal performance, is carrying out 15 times as many tests.
.

[Chris Scott]

Interesting discussion. Can we have it without getting political?
May as well try while we wait.

I assumed 1st graph below was what was being referred to.
Mortality seems an easily understood (if emotional) metric.
Active cases less so, but seems to have levelled off.
I dare say this data could be spun in any number of directions, or of course doubted outright.
Last time I looked Turkmenistan: 0.

From what I've seen/experienced in RIM and Mk both took it seriously early on.
Because of nearby historic ebola fears? (In 2018 we were heat-tested flying into Atar).
Because govt have no worries population will conform?
Who knows, but they appear to have got it less bad than here.

[Chris Scott]

I was impressed that a pharmacy in Marrakech had wall-to-ceiling poly sheet.
This was March 18.

(The bloke in front pushed in, btw, so UK still wins on queuing).

[TheWarden]

Slightly concerning for those of us who decided to stay is the reported increase in cases over the weekend. Sous Massa region (where I am currently) had been static for quite a while but has seen 12 new cases in the last 48hours.

Its still very low particularly with quite a high population density. But having seen the way people are not keeping distances on our regular run for Marjane could it be a sign that Morocco's early action hasn't quite worked? Hopefully not.

Lots of reports that people aren't sticking to guide lines from else where in the country and some souks have been reopened. New spikes in the north traced to factories and family gatherings are also a concern.

Not helping things for the foreigners here, are social media posts from other travellers promoting moving around as if nothings happening, tips on how to avoid checkpoints, spots to camp and where to go to surf. Police have been noticeable more active locally enforcing restrictions the last week. The 2 police we get on the village seem to be sent up midday from Tamri and on arrival aren't in a particularly good mood. I've had to remind some people here that its not a good idea to annoy them, particular mid afternoon on a hot Ramadan day.

First members of our Corona Crew departed today for the ferry on the 12th. Slight drama getting permission from the locals to travel but with all seriousness we hope we don't see them again too soon.

[Ccandelario430]

Originally Posted by Chris Scott

From what I've seen/experienced in RIM and Mk both took it seriously early on.
Because of nearby historic ebola fears? (In 2018 we were heat-tested flying into Atar).
Because govt have no worries population will conform?
Who knows, but they appear to have got it less bad than here.

Well, Sudan closed all its borders and airports after the first reported case in the middle of March. It seemed like a bit of an overreaction for a country that, like Mauritania, receives very few tourists.