National Health Act: Amended Regulations relating to the surveillance and the control of notifiable medical conditions (To replace the National State of Disaster regulations).
The Minister of Health has issued amended regulations relating to the surveillance and the control of notifiable medical conditions for public comment.
The main purpose of the amended Regulations is to provide measures for the country to transition out of the National State of Disaster and current Covid-19 regulations issued by COGTA.
The key aspects of the amended regulations are as follows:
- Mandatory medical examinations, isolation, and treatments for people with notifiable medical conditions, with an option to self-isolate for those with internet access;
- Mandatory face masks for indoor gatherings and public transport;
- 1-metre physical distancing;
- Employers to encourage work-from-home and restrict face-to-face meetings
- Travellers entering and leaving South Africa must have a vaccine certificate or a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours – this replaces the current requirement for PCR test even where travellers have a vaccine certificate;
- Hand sanitisers must be placed at all entrances of public places;
- Restrictions on funeral attendance — limited to 100 people;
- Restrictions on night vigils and after-funeral gatherings, currently banned, limited to 50% of indoor and outdoor venue capacity with proof of vaccination; and
- Restrictions on attendance at other gatherings — 50% of venue capacity, if attendees have vaccine certificates. Without proof of vaccination, attendance is limited to 1,000 indoors and 2,000 outdoors.
The amended Regulations also allow further restrictions to be implemented through other government departments. The Department of Health may give advice relating to curfews, a national lockdown, sports, economic activity, public transportation, religious and cultural practices, and the sale of alcohol.
The President has announced that, in order to unwind the National State of Disaster, it is necessary to introduce regulations to ensure that necessary protocols remain in place. This means that Covid-19 regulations will no longer be issued by COGTA, in terms of the Disaster Management Act, but by the Department of Health under the National Health Act.
The public comment period ends within 30 days of publication i.e. 15 April 2022.
