S.Africa stops tracing, testing, quarantining contacts of Covid-infected

South Africa's Department of Health has said that the country has stopped tracing and quarantining contacts of confirmed cases of Covid-19 with immediate effect.

"All contact tracing be stopped with immediate effect except in congregate settings and cluster outbreak situations or self-contained settings. All contacts must not be tested unless they develop symptoms," said Department of Health Director-General Sandile Buthelezi.

Instead, contacts should continue with their normal duties with daily temperature testing and symptom screening for early signs of infection, he said. If in case contacts develop symptoms, then alone must they be tested. The cases can then be managed according to the severity of the symptoms.

All quarantine has also been stopped in the country for both vaccinated and unvaccinated contacts. Unless symptomatic, there is no need for Covid-19 testing irrespective of the risk of exposure, Buthelezi added.

People who have been infected and been in isolation can return to work after eight or ten days depending on their clinical status. There is also no need for the Covid-19 test to be performed before returning to work after isolation.