Question NW890 to the Minister of Health

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04 June 2020 - NW890

Profile picture: Van Staden, Mr PA

Van Staden, Mr PA to ask the Minister of Health

Whether the guidelines for quarantine and isolation facilities in relation to Covid-19 exposure and infection in the Republic were only published on 5 May 2020; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) why was the specified document not published sooner and (b) what guidelines did quarantine and isolation facilities follow before the publication of this document on 5 May 2020?

Reply:

It is confirmed that the GUIDELINES FOR QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION IN RELATION TO COVID-19 EXPOSURE AND INFECTION was only approved on the 5th of May 2020.

(a) The guideline was developed by various stakeholders including the National Department of Health, North West University, Nelson Mandela University, Infection Control Africa Network from Stellenbosch University, Western Cape DoH, UCT and Bournemouth University of the UK. The process already started at the beginning of March. This was also informed by the minimum requirements as defined by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the WHO.

These were widely circulated to ensure that it is comprehensive and takes into account the various roles and responsibilities of stakeholders involved. This obviously took some time to finalise and get all feedback incorporated.

(b) A guideline produced by the NICD (National Institute for Communicable Diseases) relevant to quarantine was used prior to the guideline approval.

END.

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