COVID-19 - Morocco Master Thread

[TheWarden]

Next UK travel announcement should be today. I saw the articles predicting a change to red but non of the travel experts have been correct yet on the pre announcement predictions.

For most Brits its the lack of the spanish ferry routes that is stopping their visits, but things are moving in the right direction with Spain, just a question of how fast.

[Chris Scott]

Looks like Mk dodged the UK red list today.

[PanEuropean]

Canada has just banned inbound flights from Morocco to Canada. Here's a link to the news story: Canada suspending direct passenger flights from Morocco.

This is a remarkable development - so far, the only other country that Canada has banned inbound flights from is India.

It appears to me that the Canadian government is concerned about the prevalence of COVID infections in Morocco. Data from Johns Hopkins University shows that Morocco is currently experiencing record highs in relation to the virus, with approximately 245,000 new cases and 2,600 deaths over the past month.

Michael

[TheWarden]

Seen some articles today that imply that the ban by Canada was more due to fake COVID test certificates being a problem with travellers from Morocco.

Apparently a fake test cert will cost you 75euros, but a PCR test is only 60

[hav]

Anyone know the smoothest airports to transit though in eurozone for people who are fully vaccinated? home country does not make me test on return but seems like many euro airports will require test for transit.

[Tim Cullis]

Originally Posted by PanEuropean

This is a remarkable development - so far, the only other country that Canada has banned inbound flights from is India

In both instances it's because Canada detected fake PCR tests and the only way to put an immediate halt is to force travellers to go via a third country and get a fresh PCR test in that country.

Belgium and the UK are amongst countries experiencing high levels of infection in people returning from Morocco despite carrying negative PCR tests.

The issue is WAY bigger than previously thought, with 36 people arrested at Nador airport last Friday for trying to exit the country with fake tests. Several people involved in the production of fake test results were arrested in nearby Oujda including two doctors and a convict. It is believed that the going rate for a fake test using proper certificates is around 750dh. A sum of more than 850,000 dh has been seized by investigators which implies that the Nador operation by itself has provided well over 1,000 fake certificates. Oujda and Nador are way off the normal tourist route so the 'clients' involved in this were possibly Moroccans living in Europe who were travelling home. Another eight travellers were arrested the following day at Nador airport.

Five English tourists, members of the same family, were arrested last Saturday at Agadir airport when presenting fake documents to board their airplane home. They are now in the custody of the judicial police brigade at Inezgane.

The upshot of this is that countries other than Canada may decide not to trust PCR test results carried out in Morocco and this may impact tourists with genuine PCR tests who are unable to return to their home country.

[Tim Cullis]

Spain has announced the border with Morocco at Ceuta will remain closed until the end of September "as part of the fight against the pandemic". It was Morocco, however, that closed the border in March 2020 so I don't think the decision is Spain's to make.

In two moves to counter fake PCR tests, the results of tests performed on travellers leaving Morocco will have to go via the government's E-Labs server and then downloaded for printing via www.liqahcorona.ma portal. Presumably they will have QR codes on the printout enabling border officers to quickly check that each document is valid and who it has been issued for.

The other move is that all vaccinated incoming visitors must now present the negative result (carried out within 48 hours of arrival) on a document with a QR code. Unvaccinated visitors must also present a PCR test with QR code but must now undergo quarantine for ten days in a designated hotel and undergo another PCR test on the ninth day.

[TheWarden]

I've not seen any thing from the official sources about a change to entry requirements? do you have a link?

The liquahcorona requirement is only for Moroccan Nationals and residents from what I've seen, if you look on the first page it requires a national id or carte sejour number

[Chris Scott]

Fyi: liqahcorona link didn't work; needs.../fr or .../ar suffix: https://www.liqahcorona.ma/fr

The other move is that all vaccinated incoming visitors must now present the negative result (carried out within 48 hours of arrival) on a document with a QR code.

That's what I understood until I read the FCO page closely today which says:

You will need to provide proof that you have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with the second dose administered at least two weeks prior to travel, or a negative PCR test result before boarding your flight or ferry to Morocco.

The 'or' is critical - it means less running around 2 days before leaving for a PCR test and hoping the results turn up in time.
FCO page said it was still current as of today's date, but no reason why it could not be quite up to date.
FCO page is not that clear, but I too get the impression that liqahcorona is for Moroccan residents; I have asked a local.

FYI, here is the link to the Moroccan Public Health Passenger form which must be presented on arrival.
You can print it out and fill out most of it in advance and the rest on the day.

https://www.onda.ma/form.php

[TheWarden]

The UK was advising vaccinated passengers get a PCR as well as proof of vaccination for a while as the use of the NHS Vax Certificate hadn't been agreed but that was resolved some time ago.

I've had a look and all the official information and cant find anything suggesting there has been any changes to the admission requirements recently.

(BTW France is List B so if your on a ferry from there you will need a PCR as well as vaccination proof)

[Chris Scott]

I have asked a local....

I am told liqahcorona is uniquely for Moroccan residents.

Also, fyi, the PCR test needed in Morocco to fly or ferry back to the UK is done in walk-in labs for around 500 dhs.
You have the result the next day.
They don't test at the airport.

(And a Day 2 test after you're in the UK goes from 20 quid).

[Tim Cullis]

Here's the article about the need to go via liqahcorona:
https://www.lesiteinfo.com/maroc/mar...s-a-letranger/

I'm happy if you are certain that non-Moroccans are not affected, but the article makes no mention of this. Whilst most of the cases of fake exit PCR tests have involved Moroccans or MREs, non Moroccans have also been involved.

[Tim Cullis]

Here is the news article about the need for incoming PCR tests to have QR codes: https://www.bladi.net/maroc-conditio...ire,86015.html

It couldn't be clearer: "access to Moroccan territory will be subject to the mandatory presentation of a document containing a printed QR code proving the completion of a PCR test"

It also states that for non-vaccinated travellers, "Morocco now imposes a controlled quarantine of 10 days."

Note there is no reference to A or B list. However there is a link to another article dated 11 June that related there's no need for PCR tests for vaccinated passengers.

There's two ways to read the 31 August new item. The optimistic way is that the article is primarily about the need for QR codes on PCR tests IF they are required and that otherwise everything is as it was before. But it doesn't read like that, and the phrase "Morocco now imposes" implies this is a change from before.

Journalism in Morocco tends to be sloppy with writers not bothering to question dubious facts or carry out any basic research, so I am quite prepared for the story to be a pile of old bull. But it might not be.

[Chris Scott]

Thanks for the clarification.

So as a result of the fake test scam, incoming travellers might need evidence of a recent PCR test with a printed QR code, not just full vax proof with QR.

Were Moroccan PCRs up to now, including fakes, lacking a QR?

It's merely the same as the UK currently requires on returning from amber Morocco.
Another hoop, but not insurmountable.

As for non-vaxed arrivals doing 10 days quarantine.
I thought that has been the rule for a while and makes sense.

Hopefully, in a couple of days things will become clearer: regs as they were, or entry PCR QR now also needed.

[TheWarden]

While Moroccan journalism can be questionable, significant changes like this are always announced through official state media or government channels.

ONDA's info was last updated on the 29th
Summary - List A proof of vaccination or negative PCR within 48hrs

List B - proof of vaccination and negative PCR within 48hrs. Unvaccinated negative PCR and 10 days isolation

https://www.onda.ma/en/I-am-passenge...er-information

It seems the need for a QR code, implemented to combat fake tests and certificates. has been misunderstood.

List A you'll need either proof of vaccine (with QR codes) OR a negative PCR (with QR codes), not both



(Lesiteinfo is so full of computer viruses its crazy)