The National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) will this week discuss recommendations from the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) on COVID-19, to discontinue quarantining with immediate effect for contacts of cases of COVID-19.
Quarantine refers to the separation or restriction of activities of people who are believed to have been exposed to a communicable disease to see if they become ill.
The MAC has already submitted recommendations to Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla.
In their recommendation to the minister, the MAC says quarantine is currently not an effective measure for containing the spread of COVID-19.
Discussion on the status of COVID-19 pandemic in SA with Dr Mvuyisi Mzukwa:
As part of their reasoning, the MAC says only a very small proportion of contacts are identified since only a very small proportion of COVID-19 cases are identified.
In addition, they say the definition of a “high-risk contact” is based on an outdated understanding of the transmission dynamics of COVD-19.
They say the consequences of prolonged quarantining include loss of income, loss of employment and loss of schooling time.
Unpacking COVID-19 fourth wave numbers with Dr Jeremy Nel:
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