Despite coronavirus threats, some Moroccans insist on not adhering to the lockdown

To curb the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus, Morocco imposed a nationwide lockdown, restricting outdoors activities and implementing a national and international travel ban. However, some Moroccans seem not very convinced with these strict measures.

On Monday, the General Directorate for National Security (DGSN) revealed in a press release that around 8,000 people were arrested in the last couple of weeks for breaching the lockdown across the Kingdom. Why is it so hard to observe containment and stay home ?

Speaking to Yabiladi, Moroccan psychosociologist Abdeljabbar Choukri wondered how «some people are asking the State for help without doing the least of things to protect themselves and their families».

These people «have to change their behavior at this point» because «their actions can lead to unimaginable consequences», the doctor said. «A careless person during this crisis does not bear the responsibility of their negligence alone but alongside their loved ones and family», Choukri regretted.

He explained that such people «reacted to the pandemic in the beginning with indifference and some of them are still doing so».

Everyone is concerned with the lockdown

Moroccan sociologist Abdeljabbar Boucetta shared the same opinion explaining that not abiding by the state of health emergency is due to the «lack of awareness of some Moroccans». He also referred to the «ability of facing risks», accusing fake news and overload information of spreading excessive fear among people and pushing them to fight back by neglecting the truth.

According to Boucetta, there is another group of people «who are so much into destiny and God’s will». «However, this group must remember that fate and destiny are in their hands and that not putting their lives in jeopardy is part of it».

On the other hand, Boucetta believes that another group of society «has demonstrated its sense of citizenship, solidarity, and awareness of the gravity of the disease, and that the state has undertaken proactive measures and tremendous efforts», but this is not enough in his view. «Everyone should engage in facing this crisis», he stressed.

By the same token, Lamia El Amrani, a psychotherapist, said that some people do not adhere to the lockdown because they know little about the virus. «Not everyone is aware of reliable scientific sources to understand what the virus is and how to protect themselves and others from it». In her eyes, the spread of fake news is behind the recklessness of some people.

El Amrani believes that thinking that «this virus affects only the elderly and people who suffer from chronic diseases» is wrong. «It makes them believe that they are immune from it and that they are not concerned with the quarantine», she argued.

To make matters worse, some people believe that some «diseases are tantamount to divine punishment resulting from bad behavior», she added.

El Amrani, praised the efforts made by the State, as well as the sense of solidarity that has been shown by large groups of society, and called for everyone to engage in fighting the epidemic, because that is «the responsibility of us all».