Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has published a new directive which provides further clarity around the country’s coronavirus lockdown and how alert levels are calculated, Business Tech reported.

The alert levels determine the level of restrictions to be applied during the national state of disaster.

The levels are as follows:

• Alert Level 1 – indicates a low Covid-19 spread with a high health system readiness;
• Alert Level 2 – indicates a moderate Covid-19 spread with a high health system readiness;
• Alert Level 3 – indicates a moderate Covid-19 spread with a moderate health system readiness;
• Alert Level 4 – indicates a moderate to a high Covid-19 spread with a low to moderate health system readiness;
• Alert Level 5 – indicates a high Covid-19 spread with a low health system readiness.

The directive indicates that the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) must advise the minister of Health regarding which alert level should be declared nationally, provincially, in a metropolitan area, or a district,when taking into account:

• The epidemiological trends of Covid-19 infections;
• The health system capacity in a specified area to respond to the disease burden;
• Any other factor that would influence the level of infection, hospitalisation and mortality.

The directive also provides further clarity around the role of the MAC, its structure and the invitation of additional experts in the decision-making process.

Government is expected to review some of South Africa’s lockdown regulations when the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) meets on Tuesday (11 August), with early signs pointing to a relaxation in rules.

According to Business Tech the latest gazette would also give government room to introduce more structured alert levels at a local or district-level – something which has previously been discussed by government and is used in other countries.

Read the full directive:

http://www.gpwonline.co.za/Gazettes/Gazettes/43599_07-08_Health.pdf