The North West Department of Health wishes to further put into perspective the issue of quarantine and isolation in the Province. In order to ensure adequate management of COVID-19, the Department has developed the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on Quarantine and Isolation which provides this clarification and it’s unambiguous. The SOP details procedures which are to be followed for quarantine and isolation with the sole purpose of curbing the spread of Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) in the North West Province.

The Province’s SOP on COVID-19 clearly defines quarantine as a means of separating asymptomatic persons who have been exposed to a confirmed case or who are suspected to be in contact with a confirmed case. On the other hand isolation is the act of separating a sick individual with a contagious disease from healthy individuals.

A decision over whether people are to self-quarantine or be on mandatory quarantine is informed by the prevailing situation in the North West Province where some persons under self-quarantine and isolation have been noted to act in violation of isolation rules putting the larger community at risk and therefore has made it necessary to have facility quarantine and isolation mandatory for all illegible persons.

Quarantine may therefore take place at home (if suitable) or at a designated non-clinical facility. Quarantine lasts for 14 days. At the same time self-quarantine at home is allowed as long as the quarantined individual complies with quarantine regulations. Quarantine at a non-clinical facility is therefore recommended for eligible primary contacts who have no symptoms and have to be separated physically in the facility in a room that is well ventilated. Quarantine at identified facility is recommended to persons who have been exposed, have no symptoms and have no residence suitable for separation of individual from those not exposed.

Persons quarantined at designated facilities will be accommodated in separate rooms with required ablution facilities, served with meals in their rooms in order to encourage separation and curb possible transmission. A person on quarantine is expected to complete a daily symptom monitoring chart and inform authorities immediately the symptoms develop. In order to confirm that the person under quarantine has not developed COVID-19 during or before quarantine, a single COVID-19 test must be performed on a specimen collected on day 12 of the quarantine.

Quarantine will be terminated at the end of 14 days if there are no symptoms. In the event that symptoms develop, the person will be transferred from quarantine facility to the holding site for further evaluation and care.

Self-isolation and self-quarantine maybe considered under exceptional circumstances under the following conditions:

• The applicant is confirmed as a primary contact to a person diagnosed as having COVID-19 and is asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.
• The patient/contact and family are fully involved in the discussion on importance of separation, quarantine and isolation.
• The patient signs an undertaking that she/he will comply with the conditions of the isolation/quarantine.
• The treating facility or medical practitioner is involved in decision making and signs an undertaking of continued care that will ensure the patient complies fully with the conditions of isolation/quarantine and make an application for continued self-quarantine/isolation to the DDG for District Health Services.
• The DDG for District Health Services will delegate a team to investigate the individual’s home circumstances to determine suitability for self-quarantine/isolation.
• The applicant’s home circumstance are fully conducive for quarantine and isolation of mild clinical cases as defined in the NICD guidelines. This will be verified and confirmed by the team deployed by the DDG for District Health Services.
• In the event a person on quarantine is found to have violated the quarantine prescripts and conditions, the individual will be reported to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and quarantine in a non-clinical facility will become mandatory.

The Department believes the SOP that is being implemented is adequate to address all quarantine/isolation issues. However applicants who are denied self-quarantine/isolation may appeal to the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) if dissatisfied with the outcome of the initial application to the DDG.

Issued by: North West Health