South Africa is set to boost its economy as many restrictions that hindered the free flow of business have been loosened.
Some of the regulations have been removed completely like curfews and the need to isolate if one tests positive without symptoms. The public has been encouraged to still get vaccinated and that all Covid protocols be observed at social gatherings.
Is this a good move?
The lockdown and strict regulations have affected the livelihoods of people across the globe. Children have not been going to school and some businesses barely made it through the pandemic. Life has to go on at some point.
What are the new Level 1 regulations?
- The curfew will be lifted. There will therefore be no restrictions on the hours of movement of people.
- Gatherings are restricted to no more than 1 000 people indoors and no more than 2 000 people outdoors. Where the venue is too small to accommodate these numbers with appropriate social distancing, then no more than 50 per cent of the capacity of the venue may be used. All other restrictions remain in place.
- Alcohol establishments that have licenses to operate beyond 23h00 will revert back to full license conditions.
- Those who test positive for Covid 19 without symptoms do not have to isolate
- If one tests positive with symptoms, the isolation period has been reduced from 10 to 7 days.
- Contacts do not have to isolate unless they have symptoms, and other regulations.
Could this be also mean that Zimbabwean restrictions could also be loosened within the following weeks? If so, that would be great news for students and people in business who’s lives have been at a standstill due to the pandemic.