South Africa is poised to get its life back as the country prepares to move away from the national state of disaster and deal with Covid as just another infectious disease.
But, experts say, care is going to have to be taken to ensure new health regulations are equally as effective as modifying people’s behaviour through tough measures under the state of disaster laws.
It has been 700 days since the state of disaster was declared in 2020 but the numbers – of infections but, more importantly, of hospitalizations and deaths – are showing the disease is far less of a threat than it was previously.
University of Pretoria associate professor for health systems and public health Dr Elize Webb said it was time for the country to return to normal because both the Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines had made a difference.
“What is important is to remember the vaccine uptake in the older age groups known to be more at risk have been quite good,” she said.
“The hospitalisation rate is a bit lower now, meaning there is not big stress on hospitals, and they can go back to their normal activities, like before.”
Health Minister Joe Phaahla on Thursday said his department was amending the National Health Act regulations so the country could move out of the state of disaster.
“We are hoping that by next week there should be a national coronavirus command council meeting where alternative regulations can be presented.” Phaahla said the health regulations would ensure there were enough protective measures to replace the Disaster Management Act.
The regulations would cover surveillance and control of notifiable diseases, public health measures at points of entry, management of human remains, and environmental health. Health department spokesperson Foster Mohale said the amendments would cover how to regulate and manage Covid and other future pandemics.
The national state of disaster cannot end when there is no law which will do what the Disaster Management Act was doing.
In other news – Things you probably didn’t know about Riky Rick
Mzansi award-winning South African rapper and hip-hop artist Rikhado Muziwendlovu Makhado, popularly known as Riky Rick, passed away on the morning of Wednesday 23 February.
The family of rapper Riky Rick confirmed that he passed on following the rumours circulating on Twitter. A source told a local publication that the 34-year-old rapper was found by his management team at about 08:30. Learn More
