Health minister Joe Phaahla recommends dropping last Covid-19 curbs in memo confirmed as authentic
Health minister Joe Phaahla has proposed scrapping the coronavirus regulations that require mask wearing indoors, limit the size of gatherings and stipulate testing and vaccination requirements for travellers to SA.
In a leaked memo to health MECs, dated June 20, the minister said SA had exited the recent spike in cases, or fifth wave, which the current regulations were promulgated to mitigate.The regulations, published in the Government Gazette on May 4, were brought in at a time when new cases were rising rapidly and the status of the epidemic was “very concerning and unpredictable”, the minister said. Between mid-April and May 1, the daily case count soared from fewer than 250 cases to 4,693.
The department of health consulted the national coronavirus command council on June 20 and proposed that the regulations for mask wearing and gatherings, as well as port of entry limitations, no longer need to be in place, the minister said.Western Cape premier Alan Winde, who three weeks ago asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently convene the presidential co-ordinating council to discuss lifting the regulations, said the body was scheduled to meet on Wednesday morning.
“The most perfect example of the impact of these restrictions, and a reminder of the great potential of public events, was this past weekend’s United Rugby Championship final, staged at the Cape Town Stadium. While it was great to see the stands fuller, many more Stormers and Bulls fans could have been welcomed inside had the restrictions been dropped earlier,” he said.The Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa urged the government to accept the proposal and repeal the regulations.
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