Health

(a) There are two types of isolation and quarantine practices: isolation/quarantine at home or isolation/quarantine at a designated facility. 

Isolation/quarantine at home 

People are allowed to isolate/quarantine at home if they can do so safely. Once they have been identified by the relevant health teams they are followed up regularly during their recovery period. 

Isolation/quarantine at a designated facility

The Department of Health makes extensive and exhaustive attempts to offer isolation and quarantine facilities to all patients who test positive for Covid 19, and all of their contacts. From a supply perspective, there are facilities across the Western Cape that can accommodate cases and contacts. When allocating a patient to an isolation/quarantine facility, we make every attempt to locate them as close to their home as possible and follow up with them regularly. 

Further, in order to decrease stigma, we transport all clients in unmarked vehicles. These are white unmarked taxis that transport a patient from their home to the isolation quarantine facility and return them to the home when the isolation/quarantine period is over. 

(b) The recent court ruling now allows persons to quarantine or isolate at home if they so desire, but we continue to encourage people to take up accommodation at one of our dedicated sites. 

Most Covid 19 cases and Covid 19 contacts prefer to isolate/quarantine in their own homes. All contacts and cases are counselled on the importance of strict isolation and quarantine. If there is any suspicion that the client is not going to isolate/quarantine effectively these cases are referred to field teams who conduct home visits. 

Isolation/quarantine in a state facilities and isolation/quarantine at home can be effective if done correctly. This means that the patient must adhere to the rules of social distancing, hand washing, wearing masks and not touching the same surfaces.