The Progressive Health Forum has hailed the recent decision by the Health Department, to close down quarantine sites and stop contact tracing for coronavirus cases.
The department says that this decision is informed by the realisation that they don’t have an impact anymore.
All COVID-19 quarantine is to be stopped with immediate effect. This applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated contacts, according to a statement released by the Department of Health on Friday titled: Revision to contact tracing, quarantine and isolation protocols.
They say the revisions have been accepted based on COVID-19 advisories. Contact tracing will also be stopped with immediate effect except where there is a cluster outbreak.
The forum’s convenor Dr Aslam Dasoo, says that the decision makes perfect sense, given the state of the pandemic.
Dasoo says, “Our rate of testing is demand driven, it doesn’t pick up all of the cases in society, the broader population, and so if you test just those that you are testing and perhaps to follow up on their contacts, you’re missing thousands of people by a multiple of 7 in terms of those cases reported positive and what maybe out there. So, all in all, this is a very logical step.”
Full interview with Progressive Health Forum convenor Dr Aslam Dasoo:
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dlomo on revision of contact tracing, quarantine and isolation protocols:
