Stop tracing and quarantining of contacts, says South African Committee

The Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) on Covid-19 has written to Health Minister Joe Phaahla, recommending that the quarantining of contacts be stopped as it is no longer viable in the current social and economic climate.

Furthermore, the committee said contact tracing was no longer necessary and should also be halted with immediate effect.

The MAC is co-chaired by Professors Koleka Mlisana and Marian Jacobs.

In a memo to Phaahla on Thursday examining contact tracing and quarantining, the committee said several changes to the Covid-19 situation had occurred since 2020, necessitating the re-evaluation of the management of the disease.