The DA has called on health minister Dr Joe Phaahla to lift the regulation requiring that masks be worn in schools.
“The DA has long called for this irrational regulation to be scrapped as several SA health experts have repeatedly explained that the risks of the mandate to learners outweigh any possible benefits,” DA shadow minister of education Baxolile Nodada said in a statement.
Nodada said after the regulations intended to manage Covid-19 outside the Disaster Management Act were gazetted on Wednesday, Wits University professor of vaccinology Prof Shabir Madhi once again highlighted the risks of the mandate to pupils and the irrationality of the Covid-19 regulations in general.
She said Madhi had also previously stated mask mandates in SA have failed to make a significant impact on deterring the spread of Covid-19.
“If the ANC government wishes to continue its exercise in irrational regulations, it must provide parliament and the public of SA with the scientific evidence on which the decisions regarding regulations are made,” Nodada said.
Nodada said data has shown that children have a much lower risk of severe disease, and that the psychological impact of wearing masks could be more harmful.
“It is becoming clearer every day that for the ANC government, Covid-19 regulations are simply a means to an end — the retention of dwindling power.
“They are trying to sneak the powers of a state of disaster into the National Health Act without due consideration or care of the harm to constitutional rights.”
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Regulation requiring pupils to wear masks at schools should be lifted: DA
Image: VELI NHLAPO
The DA has called on health minister Dr Joe Phaahla to lift the regulation requiring that masks be worn in schools.
“The DA has long called for this irrational regulation to be scrapped as several SA health experts have repeatedly explained that the risks of the mandate to learners outweigh any possible benefits,” DA shadow minister of education Baxolile Nodada said in a statement.
Nodada said after the regulations intended to manage Covid-19 outside the Disaster Management Act were gazetted on Wednesday, Wits University professor of vaccinology Prof Shabir Madhi once again highlighted the risks of the mandate to pupils and the irrationality of the Covid-19 regulations in general.
She said Madhi had also previously stated mask mandates in SA have failed to make a significant impact on deterring the spread of Covid-19.
“If the ANC government wishes to continue its exercise in irrational regulations, it must provide parliament and the public of SA with the scientific evidence on which the decisions regarding regulations are made,” Nodada said.
Nodada said data has shown that children have a much lower risk of severe disease, and that the psychological impact of wearing masks could be more harmful.
“It is becoming clearer every day that for the ANC government, Covid-19 regulations are simply a means to an end — the retention of dwindling power.
“They are trying to sneak the powers of a state of disaster into the National Health Act without due consideration or care of the harm to constitutional rights.”
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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