Our website use cookies to improve and personalize your experience and to display advertisements (if any). Our website may also include cookies from third parties like Google Adsense, Google Analytics, and Youtube. By using the website, you consent to the use of cookies.

South Africa relaxes COVID-19 restrictions

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER

INSPIRED by decreased levels of infections and reduced hospital admissions, South Africa has relaxed COVID-19 restrictions, allowing people to buy alcohol, visit beaches and other public places.

SA president Cyril Ramaphosa said the country will remain on COVID-19 Alert Level 3 but announced the following relaxed measures.

  • Curfew hours will now be from 11pm to 4am
  • Restaurants and other establishments have to close at 10pm
  • Duty-free shops, registered wineries, wine farms, micro-breweries and micro-distilleries will be able to sell alcohol for off-site consumption during their normal licensed operating hours.
  • The sale of alcohol by licensed premises for on-site consumption – such as restaurants and taverns – will be permitted throughout the week from 10am to 10pm.
  • Faith based gatherings are now permitted but restricted to 50 people indoors and 150 outdoors.
  • Beaches, dams, rivers and public swimming pools are now open.
  • Sales of alcohol will be permitted from Monday to Thursday from 10 am to 6pm.
  • Sale of alcohol by restaurants will be permitted until 10pm.

The president said: “These changes have been made possible by the significant reduction in COVID-19 hospital admissions across all provinces, reducing the pressure on beds and hospital personnel. I want to call on all of us to drink responsibly so that we do not experience a spike in trauma cases or an increase in infections due to reckless behaviour.

Advertisements

“As we ease restrictions once again, the responsibility on each and every one of us as individuals becomes even greater.  Let us remember that despite the clear progress we have made, the number of new cases is still high and there is an ever-present danger of a resurgence.  It is therefore necessary to maintain the country on coronavirus alert level 3, indicating the continued high risk of transmission.”

READ:  South Africa tightens COVID-19 restrictions

Ramaphosa said the following restrictions remain in place: 

  • Social gatherings, political events, traditional council meetings and gatherings at sports grounds will not be permitted.
  • Funerals may not be attended by more than 50 people, and there needs to be social distancing, hand sanitising and mask wearing.
  • It remains compulsory for every person to wear a mask in a public space. 

Ramaphosa spoke hours after SA received its first one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine and said the country expects ro receive over 42-million more. 

He said an elaborate vaccination plan is in place.

Ramaphosa explained: “In accordance with our phased rollout strategy, all healthcare workers in the public and private sectors will be prioritised for vaccination.  Provincial health departments have submitted their distribution plans and we have identified about 200 facilities to which the vaccines can be distributed. 

“Once we have completed the vaccination of healthcare workers, we will move to Phase 2 of the national vaccine strategy, which will include essential workers, people over 60 years, people with co-morbidities as well as those living in places such as nursing homes and hostels.

“In Phase 3, we will extend the vaccination programme to the rest of the adult population.

I know many of you will be asking the all-important question: how you will access the vaccine if you fall in the categories to which I have referred. 

READ:  South Africa eases COVID-19 restrictions

“The Department of Health has developed an Electronic Vaccine Data System to streamline the vaccine registration and rollout process. This will allow us to capture all relevant data associated with the administration of the vaccine. 

“This system allows a person to make an appointment as soon as they qualify for a vaccination at the vaccine centre closest to them. The system will record vaccinations as they are administered.”

Advertisements
By The African Mirror

MORE FROM THIS SECTION