UPDATE: Schools are NOT mask-free zones for kids
Following the original publication of the announcement that children were exempt from wearing masks at school, the Health Department has since rescinded this statement.
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UPDATED 6/5/2022: The Health Department has issued an updated statement regarding the required use of face masks at school, following Wednesday's late night announcement which claimed children would be exempt from wearing masks at school. Read the full article here.
The Health Department's statement issued Wednesday listed the extension of certain "transitional" Covid-19 regulations that were due to lapse at midnight.
In the statement, Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla announced a three-month extension for public comment on the regulations the department is seeking to put in place to continue management of the Covid-19 virus. These are in regard to the Surveillance and Control of Notifiable Medical Conditions; Public Measures in Points of Entry; Management of Human Remains and Environmental Health. These mandates now fall under ‘Regulations Relating to the Surveillance and the Control of Notifiable Medical Condition 2022’. The new closing date for comment submissions is 5 July 2022.
In the meantime, some of the rules we've become so familiar with which remained in place following the announcement of the end of the National State of Disaster last month still apply. These are:
- The wearing of masks is still required by anyone entering and being inside an indoor public area
- Masks must be worn by anyone and everyone when using public transport, else they can and will be denied use
- A maximum of 50% of the venue capacity for any indoor and outdoor gatherings may be occupied, provided that every attendee shows valid proof of a Covid-19 vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test result not older than 72 hours prior to the date of the gathering.
Other Covid-19 regulations regarding international travel can be viewed here.