(1) No. The draft Regulations published on 15 March 2022 will not be withdrawn. These draft Regulations do not deal only with Covid-19 but also with other notifiable medical conditions. The comments from the public are still being processed and will be considered for any decision/amendments to be made regarding the published draft Regulations. The draft Regulations also mean to address pandemic situations as the 2017 Regulations do not address the outbreak of pandemics.
(2) Notifiable Medical Conditions are diseases that are of public health importance because they pose significant public health risks that can result in disease outbreaks or epidemics with high case fatality rates both nationally and internationally. Covid-19 is such a condition and will therefore remain a NMC. COVID-19 is not listed specifically as it resorts amongst the respiratory diseases caused by a novel respiratory pathogen - NMC 20).
(3) The National Department of Health still believes contraventions of these Regulations has serious health implications and as such must remain an offence.
END.