All the updated lockdown rules for South Africa – including when government can force you to isolate
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has gazetted the updated level 1 lockdown rules for South Africa.
The gazette gives effect to the announcement made by the presidency on Monday evening (31 January), which further relaxed the country’s adjusted level 1 lockdown rules.
Key changes in the regulations are the removal of social distancing requirements at schools – enabling them to return to full-time teaching – and removing some isolation requirements for those who test positive for Covid-19.
Based on the trajectory of the pandemic and the levels of vaccination in the country, the government decided that those who test positive for Covid-19 with no symptoms no longer have to enter into isolation.
Those who do exhibit symptoms will still be required to isolate, but the isolation period has been reduced, the presidency said.
“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 serosurveys,” it said.
Notably, however, the relaxed rules do not give complete freedom. In cases where someone tests positive, is symptomatic, and refuses to be treated or enter isolation, the government may get a warrant to force them to do so.
The key changes are outlined in more detail below.
Isolation
- Any person who is a confirmed laboratory positive Covid-19 case and is asymptomatic (showing no symptoms) is not required to isolate.
- Any person who is a confirmed laboratory positive Covid-19 case and is symptomatic must isolate for a period of seven days unless a longer period is recommended by a medical practitioner.
- Any person who is a confirmed laboratory positive Covid-19 case and is symptomatic must comply with an oral or written instruction of a medical practitioner, a nurse or enforcement officer to subject himself or herself to isolation at a health facility, or self-isolation, to contain the transmission of Covid-19.
- If a person refuses to isolate himself or herself as instructed or directed a magistrate may make an order compelling them to do so.
Refusal of treatment and isolation
- No person who is a confirmed laboratory positive Covid-19 case and is symptomatic may refuse to be treated or to be admitted to a health establishment for treatment or isolation in order to prevent transmission.
- If a person does not comply, that person must be placed in isolation at a health facility for a period not exceeding 48 hours, pending the issuing of a warrant.
- A warrant may be issued by a magistrate if it appears that a person has Covid-19 and is symptomatic, and will lapse when they deem fit or its purpose has lapsed.
Read: New level 1 lockdown rules for South Africa – including changes for schools
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