Travellers coming to SA will no longer need to produce a recent negative Covid-19 test - but only if they have a “full vaccination certificate”.
This is one of the proposed new legislations that seek to govern the pandemic and other “notifiable diseases”. It was gazetted on Tuesday.
Those who aren’t fully vaccinated will have to produce a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours.
Government is seeking public comment and opinion on how to handle the Covid-19 pandemic once the national state of disaster is removed. In the gazette, the national health department called for “meaningful input into the decision-making process” from members of the public.
Comments from the public will be received by the health department until April 15 2021.
“This is part of the government’s transition plans from the current national state of disaster, which has been in place more than two years since it was first declared in response to Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, in order to have a specific legal instrument to manage current and future pandemics.
“The proposed regulations seek to introduce a number of control measures which include the surveillance and the control of notifiable medical conditions, public health measures in points of entry, management of human remains and, finally, regulations relating to environmental health,” the department of health said.
As part of the proposed legislation, the department also considered a total ban on night vigils and after-funeral gatherings. The number of attendees may be restricted as guided by scientific evidence on the risk of transmission.
The health department recommended that indoor and outdoor gatherings during pandemics be limited to 50% of the venue capacity. That would be for attendees who provide a valid vaccine certificate. Patrons would be required to still practise social distancing of at least one metre and wear their masks.
“The attendance of indoor gatherings without proof of vaccination will be limited to only 1,000 people and 2,000 for outdoors with social distancing of at least one metre social distance,” the health department suggested.
Facilities that host the gatherings must display the certificate of occupancy, which sets out the maximum capacity the venue may hold.
During a pandemic, visits to clinics and hospitals may be restricted by the relevant establishments or facilities, the gazette reads.
People working on ships would be subject to screening and only undergo medical examination if necessary and quarantine, in line with the national health department’s guidelines.
For local air travel, all passengers would be screened, and if found to have elevated temperatures or symptoms consistent with a Covid-19 infection, they would not be allowed on the aircraft.
Cross-border freight operators would also undergo screening at the point of entry. This may be accompanied by testing and quarantine for a stipulated amount of time.
A truck driver who tests positive for Covid-19 while outside the borders of the country should notify the port health official of their intention to return.
It would be the responsibility of the truck driver to ensure consignments are safely transported from the point of entry to the quarantine facility.
These regulations, once approved, would be implemented by the department of health and other affected government departments and would not be tabled in parliament before their legislation.
“Thus all interested parties, both individuals and stakeholders, are invited to submit their comments or representations within 30 days from the date of publishing to make sure their voices are heard,” said the department of heath.
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