Cabinet relaxes Covid-19 protocols as 4th Wave ends in South Africa

Cape Town - South Africa has officially exited the fourth wave of the coronavirus and has subsequently resumed daily attendance at schools, removed physical distancing in schools in addition to adjusting isolation directives.

The Cabinet has approved a number of adjustments with immediate effect to the country’s Alert Level 1 Covid-19 regulations based on the trajectory of the pandemic and the levels of vaccination, following a special Cabinet meeting on Monday.

The Cabinet has approved several changes which pertain with Covid-19 protocols, such as amendments to isolation guidelines and ending social distancing at schools.

Isolation:

• Isolation is not required for those who test positive but show no symptoms.

• The isolation period has been reduced to seven days if you test positive with symptoms

• Only contacts with symptoms need to isolate.

“The rationale for these amendments is informed by the proportion of people with immunity to Covid-19 which has risen substantially, exceeding 60-80% in several sero-surveys,” the Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele said.

Schools:

• Daily attendance in primary, secondary and special schools has resumed.

• The physical distancing directive of 1 metre for learners in schools has been removed.

“The Ministers of Health and Basic Education will in the coming days issue directives reflecting on this new approach,” Gungubele adds.

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