Tebogo Msimanga |
A special Cabinet meeting held on Thursday 30 December 2021, has approved several changes to the Adjusted Alert Level 1 COVID-19 regulations.
This follows meetings of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) and the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC), which received updates on the management of the current 4th wave of COVID-19 in South Africa, which is mainly driven by the Omicron variant.
Minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele said all indicators suggest the country may have passed the peak of the fourth wave at a national level.”Cases declined in all provinces except the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, which recorded increases of 14% and 18%, respectively. There has been a decline in hospital admissions in all provinces except the Western Cape.”
Gungubele added that there will be no restrictions on the hours of movement of people.Gatherings are restricted to no more than 1 000 people indoors and no more than 2 000 people outdoors.
“Alcohol establishments that have licences to operate beyond 23h00 will revert to full licence conditions.”The NCCC said it will continue to closely monitor the situation and will make further adjustments as necessary, particularly if pressure on health facilities increases.
South Africans are urged to continue observing basic health protocols to prevent the transmission of the virus. “Vaccination remains the best defence against severe illness, hospitalisation and death from COVID-19. Parents are reminded to support their children aged 12 years and older to use this opportunity to vaccinate before schools open”.
