Johannesburg - South Africa remains on lockdown alert level 1 and masks remain mandatory, the Cabinet confirmed after its most recent meeting this week.
However, the Cabinet said it was awaiting other announcements from the Coronavirus Command Council, regarding the national state of disaster.
South Africa’s state of disaster is set to expire on 15 March, 2022. This would make it 24 months since it was first declared at the end of March 2020.
Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele briefed the media on Thursday morning and acknowledged the country’s efforts in the fight against Covid-19.
However, the Cabinet cautioned that the battle was “not yet over”, and urged all people in South Africa to remain vigilant and continue protecting themselves in order to stop the spread of the deadly virus.
Gungubele said the Cabinet was pleased that almost 32 million Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered and more than 42% of the adult population was fully vaccinated.
“However, unvaccinated people still remain unprotected against Covid-19 and pose a health risk to themselves and those around them. Vaccination remains the best way to fight Covid-19, and Cabinet calls on everyone aged 12 years and above to vaccinate without further delay,” Gungubele said.
The Cabinet reiterated that booster shots were freely available for most people and called on those who were eligible to get boosted as soon as possible.
“We must also continue to wear masks that cover both the mouth and nose, wash or sanitise our hands frequently, keep a safe social distance and ensure adequate ventilation by opening windows,” Gungubele said.
Last Friday, Health Minister Joe Phaahla said the health department would make recommendations on new Covid-19 regulations to the National Coronavirus Command Council this week.
"The department is currently ready to present to the NCCC recommendations of new regulations to take over from the Disaster Management Act," Phaahla said last week.
Phaahla said that while there were different views on the matter, the “undisputed fact” was that the higher the number of vaccinated people, the more the economy could be opened, and more social, sporting and recreational activities could take place.
In a podcast this week with Professor Salim Abdool Karim, the former co-chairperson of the Covid-19 Ministerial Advisory Committee, called for public health measures to be dropped in light of declining coronavirus infections.
Political Bureau