Adjusted alert level 1 of SA lockdown

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the easing of several restrictions as part of Adjusted Alert Level 1

The President said following consultations and the recommendations of the National Coronavirus Command Council, Cabinet has decided to ease restrictions on gatherings and previous regulations.

Ramapahosa addressed the nation on developments in the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic on Tuesday evening

Under the new restrictions:

·        Both indoor and outdoor venues can now take up to 50% of their capacity provided that the criteria for entrance are proof of vaccination or a COVID test not older than 72 hours.

Where there is no provision for proof of vaccination or a COVID test, then the current upper limit will remain – of 1 000 people indoors and 2 000 people outdoors.

 

·        The maximum number of people permitted at a funeral increased from 100 to 200.

As before, night vigils, after-funeral gatherings and ‘after-tears’ gatherings are not allowed.

 

·        Wearing of masks

Wearing a mask remains mandatory when in public indoor spaces.

However, a mask is not required when outdoors.

“This means that we still need to wear masks when in shops, malls, offices, factories, taxis, buses, trains or any other indoor public space, but we do not need to wear masks when walking on the street or in an open space, when exercising outdoors or when attending an outdoor gathering,” President Ramaphosa said.

 

·        A space of 1m is maintained between persons in all settings, except schools.

 

·        Travelers entering South Africa will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours.

 “All unvaccinated travelers entering the country who want to be vaccinated will be offered a vaccination,” the President said.

Ramaphosa encouraged citizens to get vaccinated.

“The further easing of the remaining restrictions will require that we increase the rate of vaccination among South Africans. The vaccine has been shown to significantly reduce severe illness.

He said vaccination is likely to reduce transmission at home and at places like schools and universities where there is close contact.

“It is vitally important that we get many more of our people between 18 and 35 years vaccinated, and that is why government has launched the #KeReady campaign last month. This campaign includes messages developed by young people and focuses on making the case for people between 18 and 35 years to vaccinate.”

Ramaphosa further encouraged those who are vaccinated to go and receive their booster doses.

“If we are all vaccinated, we can turn our energy, resources and effort to rebuilding our economy and creating much-needed jobs.”

The president said cabinet intends to lift the National State of Disaster, ‘’as soon as public comment on the health regulations published by the Minister of health has been completed.”

All South Africans are invited to make comments on the draft regulations before the 16th of April.

“It just means that we are changing the way we manage the pandemic, and we will be relying on health regulations rather than disaster management regulations. It means that we are learning to live with the virus in our presence. It means that we are returning, as far as possible, to the lives that we lived before the pandemic. It means that we are opening our economy still further, and that we are resuming many of the social and cultural activities that we have missed over the last two years.”

 

PICTURED: PresidencyZA - President Cyril Ramaphosa

Done By: Mitchum George