Proposed amended Covid-19 regulations : Vaccine certificate for gatherings and compulsory wearing of masks in public places
Government departments have been tasked to draft Covid-19 regulations that would be implemented when national state of disaster comes to an end.
Proposed amended Covid-19 regulations include vaccine certificates for outdoor and indoor gatherings and compulsory wearing of masks in public.
Other regulations include indoor and outdoor gatherings may occupy up to 50% of the venue capacity if people provide valid vaccine certificates, one metre social distance and wear masks for the indoors gatherings.
This is the Department of Health’s proposed regulations that could be implemented in the absence of the Covid-19 national state of disaster act.
It has almost been two years since the act was implemented as a measure to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Last month, during his state of the nation address, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the government intended to end the national lockdown.
Recently, the health department published the 156-page document of proposed regulations.
The department proposed without proof of vaccination, indoor gatherings be limited to only 1 000 people and 2 000 for outdoors.
To prevent the spread of the virus, the department proposed for the continued use of masks. No person may be allowed in public premises and transport without masks.
The department further stipulated that all people leaving the country must have a full valid vaccination certificate. If not, one should have tested negative for the virus, a PCR test not more than 72 hours old. This was the same case for all of those entering SA from a different country.
The regulations further stipulate that hospital visits may be restricted by management of the facilities guided by evidence of risk of transmission.
Funeral attendance during Covid-19 pandemic must be restricted to 100 persons and night vigils, after-funeral gatherings are still prohibited.
Some of the suggested regulations was for businesses, including supermarkets, to ensure that people in their premises or queuing are able to keep social distance and provide sanitiser at the entrance of premises.
Health spokesperson Forster Mohale said these regulations, once approved, would be implemented within the department.
“Thus, all interested parties, both individuals and stakeholders are invited to submit their comments or representations within 30 days from the date of publishing [March 15] to make sure their voices are heard.”
The process was set to close by the latest Friday, April 15, 2022.
The relevant e-mail address for comments submission is detailed in the document.
Link to the regulations https://www.health.gov.za/general-notices/
Meanwhile, DA leader John Steenhuisen said the party would take government to court over the extended state of disaster. The party has called for the scrapping of all Covid-19 regulations.
He said the amended regulations meant that “South Africa will be under a state of disaster indefinitely, and that the lockdown is becoming permanent”.
“The science now tells us that the lockdown is unnecessary, irrational and unreasonable,” Steenhuisen said.
“Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs, thousands of livelihoods have been destroyed, millions of school and university days have been missed, and billions of rands have been lost to tax revenue, which could have gone to poverty relief.
“It is time to focus all of our energies on regaining what has been lost.”
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