SA’s new Covid-19 rules scrap ‘quarantine’ – but you can still be locked up if you are coughing

South Africa has a new set of Covid-19 rules that, as promised, drop all isolation requirements for coronavirus carriers who are asymptomatic.
The 10-day period of self-isolation for those with symptoms has also been reduced to seven, as promised – unless a doctor says otherwise.
But for those with a positive test and symptoms, strict controls remain in place, including what amounts to arrest.
The concept of “quarantine” has been dropped. You could just be put into “isolation”, against your will if necessary.

South Africa on Tuesday followed through on a promise to remove all requirements to self-isolate for those carrying the coronavirus, as long as they are asymptomatic.

An update to the primary regulations dealing with Covid-19 also removed the very concept of “quarantine”.

But those who test positive for Sars-CoV-2 and show symptoms – commonly a fever or a cough – still face the possibility of drastic curbs on their freedom of movement, including measures equivalent to arrest and detention, in conditions very reminiscent of involuntary quarantine.

The update, gazetted by co-operative governance minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, implements promises made on Monday night by deleting all requirements to self-isolate for those without symptoms, or who have come into contact with coronavirus carriers.

It also makes good on the announced reduction in the self-isolation period for the symptomatic, from 10 days to seven days, albeit with a caveat: the seven days applies “unless a longer period is recommended by a medical practitioner.”

Yet authorities retained far-reaching powers over people who have “laboratory positive” Covid-19, and have symptoms.

One section of the rules has been rewritten to delete any use of the word “quarantine”, but retains much of what was first imposed, in April 2020, in terms of managing people who refuse treatment.

Someone who is symptomatic and refuses to be admitted to a health facility may still be “placed” in such a facility for up to 48 hours before sign-off is required from a magistrate to continue holding them. But while the original rules said they were to be placed in “quarantine”, they will now be put in “isolation” instead.

Likewise, those with confirmed Covid-19 and its symptoms are still required to comply with even oral instructions of a doctor, nurse, or enforcement official “to subject himself or herself to isolation at a health facility in order to contain the transmission of Covid-19”.

In April 2020, that was phrased as “quarantine”, but the provision remains otherwise unchanged in its effect. – Business Insider SA