(1)Whether, with reference to the Draft Regulations on the Surveillance and the Control of Notifiable Medical Conditions (NMCs) that were published in the Government Gazette on or about 15 March 2022, and the subsequent publishing of the Health Regulations Relating to the surveillance and control of NMCs on or about 4 May 2022, following his department’s repeal of Regulations 16A through 16C of the Health Regulations, his department will also withdraw the Draft Regulations in their entirety; if not, why not; if so, on what date
(2) what are the reasons for his department’s decision not to repeal the listing of COVID-19 as an NMC in accordance with clause 3 of the Health Regulations, given his letter to various MECs, dated 20 June 2022, stating that the weak sub variants now circulating failed to produce a significant fifth wave;
(3) what are his department’s reasons for not amending Regulation 20 of the existing regulations, which make a contravention of the regulations a crime punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment? ;