CAPE TOWN - The national health department has clarified confusion related to children wearing face masks at school.
In a statement on Wednesday, the department announced it had extended the period for public comments on health regulations relating to the Surveillance and Control of Notifiable Medical Conditions; Public Measures in Points of Entry; Management of Human Remains and Environmental Health by three months, with effect from Thursday. The new closing date for submission of comments is July 5.
These regulations mainly focus on wearing of face masks, gatherings and persons entering the country.
“With regards to wearing a face mask, a person must, when entering and being inside an indoor public place, wear a face mask.
“This does not apply to children at school. Again, under these limited regulations, no person may use any form of public transport unless wearing a face mask,” the statement read.
However, on Thursday the department said there was a “regrettable human error” in the statement, and that children were still to wear face masks at school.
"The Department would like to bring to the public’s attention the confusion created by unfortunate and regrettable human error in the media statement issued yesterday about the removal of face mask wearing by children at school. This is not part of the gazetted health regulations, and is therefore retracted to avoid any misunderstanding of the regulations.
"Children, like other people, are expected to continue complying with the provisions of Regulation 16A on face masks in the classrooms and general indoor gatherings, unlike outdoors in playgrounds and sports fields," the department said.
Cape Times