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SAMA disappointed at decision to stop COVID-19 quarantine regulations

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The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has expressed disappointment at a sudden change of a decision to stop all COVID-19 quarantine, by Department of Health.

It says there is someone who put pressure on the department to revert to the previous guidelines.

On Friday last week, the Deputy Health Minister Dr Sibongiseni Dlomo told the public that COVID-19 quarantine centres don’t have an impact anymore.

SAMA Chairperson, Angelique Coetzee says government should give more clarity on this matter.

“Someone is putting lot pressure onto the National Department of Health and we have been told that it is unnamed stakeholders. I hope this unnamed stakeholder would be named soon and that we can understand how scientific the unnamed stakeholders are and what science that they based their recommendations because we have a serous doubt on this.”

The Department of Health has stopped all COVID-19 quarantine with immediate effect. The decision applied to both vaccinated and unvaccinated contacts.

It also reported that contact tracing will also be stopped with immediate effect except where there are cluster outbreaks.

There is also no need for a COVID-19 test to be done prior to returning to work after days of isolation.

All those infected with the virus should return to work after eight or ten days of isolation with no further testing required after the isolation period.

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