eSwatini
Coronavirus (Covid-19) Regulations, 2020
Legal Notice 72 of 2020
- Published in Government Gazette 53 on 27 March 2020
- Commenced on 27 March 2020
- [This is the version of this document from 27 March 2020.]
Part I – Preliminary provisions
1. Citation and commencement
2. Interpretation
In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise indicates-"adequate space" means not more than one person per square meter of floor space;"contact person" means a healthy person that has been in such association with an infected person or a contaminated environment as to have been exposed and is therefore at a higher risk of developing the disease and includes-(a)a person living in the same household as a COVID-19 case;(b)a person having had direct physical contact with a COVID-19 case or his infectious secretions without recommended personal protective equipment or with a possible breach of personal protective equipment; or(c)a person who was in a closed environment or had face to face contact with a COVID-19 case at a distance of within1metre including air travel;"COVID-19" means the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCov) which is an infectious disease caused by a virus, which emerged during 2019 and was declared a global pandemic by the WHO during the year 2020 that has previously not been scientifically identified in humans;"Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act" means the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act No. 38 of 1967;"enforcement officer" includes a public health officer, an immigration officer, members of the police service, defence force and correctional services;"donor" means an individual, corporation or organisation that is a contributor of cash, kind or other assets;"gathering" means any assembly, concourse or procession of more than twenty (20) persons, wholly or partially in open air or in a building or premises;"high risk country" means a country classified by the World Health Organization as a high risk country;"isolation" in relation to a person means the separation of that person from any other person in such a manner as to prevent infection or contamination with Covid-19—(a)at a facility designated, by notice, on the purposes of these Regulations by the Minister of Health;(b)in that person’s home;(c)in a hospital; or(d)at another suitable place;"liquor" includes African beer and has the same meaning ascribed to it in the Liquor Licences Act, 1964;"loitering" means to stand, wait or walk in a public place without any purpose";"National emergency" means the national emergency declared by Government on the 17th March 2020 under Legal Notice No. 66 of 2020;"quarantine" means separating asymptomatic individuals potentially exposed to a disease from non-exposed individuals in such a manner as to prevent the possible spread of infection or contamination;"school" has the meaning ascribed to it in the Education Act, No. 9 of 1981; and"The Act" means the Disaster Management Act No. 1 of 2006;"WHO" means the World Health Organisation; and"essential travel" means travel on official government business, company or organisation business, or for medical reasons.Part II – Countering CoronaVirus (COVID-19)
3. Prevention of spread of COVID-19
Every person in the Kingdom of Eswatini shall take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the manner stipulated in the First Schedule and as may be determined by the Ministry of Health from time to time.4. Compulsory notification on suspected cases
Every person, medical practitioner or health officer, whether in Government or private, shall notify the Ministry of Health of any person, who within their knowledge, has a travel history to COVID-19 affected countries and has complaints of fever, cough, respiratory difficulty or even without any signs and symptoms of COVID-19 or is a contact person.5. Screening of persons
6. Test samples for Covid-19
All test samples shall be collected as per the directive of the Ministry of Health and these samples shall be sent to a designated laboratory.7. Notification on development of symptoms
Where a person, with a history of travel in the last fourteen (14) days to a country or area from where COVID-19 has been reported or is contact person, develops symptoms, that person shall contact the nearest clinic or call 977 so that necessary measures if required may be initiated by the Ministry of Health.8. Isolation for asymptomatic person
A person with a history of travel to a country or area from where COVID-19 has been reported or is a contact person in the last fourteen (14) days, who does not have symptoms of cough, fever, difficulty in breathing, shall be under isolation or quarantine at home and take precautions as stipulated in the Second Schedule and shall avoid contact with any person including family members for fourteen (14) days from the date of arrival from such area.9. Isolation for symptomatic person
10. Steps upon examination
Where consequent upon an inquiry, inspection, examination or otherwise, a medical practitioner or health officer has reason to believe or suspect that a person could be infected with COVID-19, the medical practitioner or health officer shall direct or arrange to put that person in home quarantine or direct or escort that person to a designated quarantine facility or an isolation facility, as the case may be.11. Measures for defined geographic area
Where cases of COVID-19 are reported from a defined geographic area, the Senior Medical Officer-Public Health in conjunction with the approval of National Emergency Management Task Force on Coronavirus (COVID- 19) shall take containment measures to prevent spread of the disease, which include-12. Submission to medical examination, treatment, isolation and quarantine
13. Refusal to cooperate with enforcement officer
A health officer, medical practitioner or enforcement officer shall, where a person who refuses to co-operate with or to render assistance to or comply with the directions of that enforcement officer -14. Places of quarantine and isolation
Part III – Internal and cross-border travel
15. Internal travel
16. Cross-border travel
Part IV – Protection of consumers
17. Interpretation
In this Part ‘price increase’ means a direct increase or an increase as a result of unfair conduct such as, among others, false or misleading pricing practices, covert manipulation of prices, manipulations through raising or reducing grade levels goods and services.18. Price control
19. Unfair practices
A supplier shall not –20. Supply of goods
21. Restriction and prohibition on sale of liquor
22. Restriction on restaurants and food outlets
23. Essential industries
24. Offence
A person who contravenes the provisions of this Part commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding Five Hundred Thousand Emalangeni (E500, 000.00).Part V – General provisions
25. Restriction and prohibition of gatherings
26. Duties of port entry health officers
Port of entry health officers shall be the first to deal with arriving persons at ports of entry.27. Closure of schools and tertiary institutions
Schools and Tertiary institutions shall be closed until the decommissioning of the declaration, which period may be extended for the duration of the national emergency by the Prime Minister.28. Suspension of visits
All visits by members of the public to –29. Spreading rumours or unauthenticated information on COVID-19
30. Immunity against liability
No liability or suit shall lie against an enforcement officer or medical practitioner or member of the National Emergency Management Task Force for anything done in good faith under these Regulations.31. Emergency procurement procedures
32. Authority to issue guidelines
33. Offences and penalties
History of this document
27 March 2020 this version
Commenced
Cited documents 2
Act 2
1. | Education Act, 1981 | 9 citations |
2. | Disaster Management Act, 2006 | 3 citations |