No symptoms, no isolation and full-time return to school: Govt announces new Covid-19 rules

Among the changed regulations are:

• Those who test positive with no symptoms do not have to isolate;
• If you test positive with symptoms, the isolation period has been reduced from 10 to seven days;
• Contacts do not have to isolate unless they develop symptoms;
• Primary, secondary and special schools will return to daily attendance; and
• The regulatory provision for social distancing of 1m for pupils in schools has also been removed.

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

“Government commends all South Africans who continue to observe Covid-19 regulations and protocols. We also remind those who are yet to get vaccinated to go for their Covid-19 vaccination and continue observing basic health protocols to prevent the transmission of the virus,” the statement read.

TimesLIVE