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In less than ten days, Moroccans will be allowed outside, as the country is planning to end its strict lockdown on June 10. After more than two months indoors, some of us will be going out for the first time since the implementation of the lockdown. But would Moroccans be ready to hit the streets all while implementing proper social distancing or would they be back to their old ways once the lockdown is lifted ?
To Moroccan psychosociologist Mohcine Benzakour, the answer to this question differs from one group to the other. According to him, the response of these two groups and their behavior after the end of the lockdown will not be the same.
«While the first group is going to know how to socialize while respecting distancing and sanitary measures, the second will, unfortunately, not do the same», he explained.
«The second group can be divided into two subgroups : People who think that we should not overreact and that everything is in the hands of God and young people who are full of energy and want to be set free once the lockdown is over», the expert indicated.
Although Moroccans have learned to think of others and be responsible during this health crisis, some would «not respect social distancing», Benzakour added.
Anxiety and fear
Meanwhile, sociologist Chakib Guessous believes that once the lockdown is over, Moroccans will slowly but surely get back to normal. «It is a human thing, socializing is something primordial and very important for Moroccans too», he explained.
According to him, although most of us will try to socialize and get back to normal after the lockdown, «fear and worry» will stay there because of the virus. «Some of us will kiss and hug and then regret it right away because there will always be that feeling of anxiety and fear of the virus», he added.
And despite this fear of the virus, it would be «difficult for some to achieve proper social distancing» after the end of the lockdown. «We have seen people, during the lockdown, kissing and hugging and that makes it difficult to learn how to do it from afar», he regretted.
«I think the fear of the virus will remain for a while even when it is eradicated. Moroccans will prefer to wash their hands to avoid catching a virus», he pointed out.
Back to the old ways
For professor and sociology researcher Ali Chaabani, «although the confinement period contributed to the consolidation of behaviors that the Moroccan citizen was not willing to practice before the pandemic, they will quickly go back to black». «Moroccans always forget quickly», he said.
«It is true that with deconfinement, Moroccans will try to pursue the same approach to protect themselves from the coronavirus, but this concern will not last for long», he explained, arguing that «nature prevails over nurture».
«We adhere to certain behaviors, that are mostly new, but our habits are anchored in the unconscious and forged by our traditions and our past. As soon as Moroccans will feel reassured about the epidemic and its risks, they will forget the positive practices they adopted during the confinement», he added.
According to the academic, «the general structure of our society (homes, schools, markets...) is also not helping to continue what we are doing now». «We will thus return to crowds in the streets and cafés, hugs,...», he regretted.
