Pretoria - The National Department of Health recalled its revised protocols on contact tracing, quarantine and isolation days after it was released.
This means that anyone who tests positive for Covid-19 must go into self-isolation, while anyone they were in contact with should be contacted and are advised to get tested.
“Thus, in line with the principles of transparency and openness, the department has decided to put the implementation of the revised policy changes on hold while taking all additional comments and inputs received into consideration,” said the Health Department in a statement.
“This means the status quo remains, and all prior existing regulations with regards to contact tracing, quarantine and isolation remain applicable.”
The department said an amended circular will be re-issued once "additional inputs and comments have been considered“.
On December 23, the National Department of Health announced that all Covid-19 contact tracing would be stopped with immediate effect and would no longer impose restrictions on asymptomatic carriers of the coronavirus.
If an individual develops symptoms, they should be tested and managed according to the severity of the symptoms, said the department.
Those who developed symptoms needed to get tested. Those with mild symptoms were advised to isolate for eight days and severe cases for 10 days.
The department had also revised protocols on quarantine, saying all quarantine facilities outside the home would be stopped. Contact tracing efforts would also be scrapped.
IOL