Morocco received on Wednesday its first shipment of Chinese Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, the ministry of health said.
The first batch of vaccines developed by the China National Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd (Sinopharm) arrived at Casablanca airport and was sent to vaccination centers across the country, the ministry said in a statement.
Morocco last Friday approved the emergency use of the Sinopharm vaccine.
"The vaccine meets all the conditions of quality, efficacy and safety, and does not present any potential side effects," the ministry assured.
The country has secured the acquisition of 66 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from Sinopharm and Britain's Oxford University/AstraZeneca, health officials said.
The Kingdom has acquired sufficient quantities of vaccines for 33 million people (80 percent of residents).
The North African country will begin its vaccination campaign on Thursday, the royal palace said.
The palace said vaccinations will be available to all Moroccans over the age of 17 but that health, security and teaching staff will receive the first shots.
People can register via a website for the vaccines, which will be given for free at 3,000 locations around Morocco.
By Wednesday, Morocco had recorded 468,383 coronavirus cases, including 8,207 deaths, with 13,995 cases still active.
