South Africa’s new Covid-19 isolation rules explained
Health minister Joe Phaahla has provided more details around South Africa’s new rules for isolating if you test positive for Covid-19 or come into contact with someone who has.
His briefing came after Cabinet announced on Monday, 31 January 2022, that South Africa would be relaxing Covid-19 isolation criteria and duration for those who had tested positive for Covid-19.
Concurring with the statement, the minister said those with mild illness who had tested positive for the virus now have to isolate for 7 days, instead of the previous 10.
However, they don’t have to test negative for Covid-19 at the end of this period before exiting isolation.
For moderate to severe cases that usually require hospitalisation, people will have to spend 7 days in isolation at their home following discharge.
There will be no need to test for the virus again following this period, however.
Health workers with moderate or severe cases who return to work must wear an N95 mask.
People who test positive for Covid-19 during routine testing such as for travel or meetings but are asymptomatic don’t have to isolate at all.
But Phaahla recommended they look out for symptoms while taking precautions for 5-7 days.
Phaahla also said the department would stop tracing people who had been in contact with a positive case.
Contacts who are asymptomatic don’t have to isolate or be tested either.
“Instead, if you are a contact, you should just take extra precautions in mingling closely with other people for 5-7 days while observing whether you will develop symptoms,” Phaahla advised.
The new rules apply equally to vaccinated and unvaccinated people, Phaahla added.
The table below summarises the new rules for isolation of Covid-19 cases in South Africa.
Covid-19 isolation requirements | |||
Case severity | Symptoms | Isolation requirement | Negative test after isolation |
Moderate to severe | Yes | 7 days of isolation | No |
Mild | Yes | 7 days of isolation | No |
Low | No | None, take extra precautions for 5-7 days when socialising | No |
Contact | Yes | 7 days of isolation | No |
Contact | No | None, take extra precautions for 5-7 days when socialising | No |
The minister said the country’s epidemiologists believe there has been a plateau in infections.
“The curve is on the plateau, with no rise and no decline. Free State, Gauteng and Mpumalanga have shown an increase in new infections,” he stated.
He explained the plateau and slowing down in the rate of new infections could be linked to the opening of schools.
“In the last 14 days, we have witnessed more infections amongst the below 20 years of age, that is the school-going age,” Phaahla said.
He also shared the latest vaccination statistics in the country.
Administered Covid-19 vaccine doses in South Africa have now passed the 30 million mark, with 18.64 million adults receiving at least one dose of the vaccine.
“In terms of absolute numbers of doses administered and population coverage, Gauteng is still leading with just under 5 million individuals who have been vaccinated with just over 8.4 million doses,” Phaahla said.
When measured by proportion to the total province population, the Free State led with 55.57%, followed by the Western Cape with 54.56%, and Limpopo with 53.42%.