The government has gazetted Statutory Instrument 169 of 2022 making it mandatory to wear face masks in public places.
According to the regulations, which were announced by the Minister of Health and Childcare, members of the public are obliged to wear masks indoors at workplaces and places to which the public has access or in public conveyances (taxis and commuter omnibuses, passenger trains and airplanes).
As for outdoors, face masks are mandatory for people who have not been vaccinated for COVID-19 “at least twice”.
Below are the protocols on face masks announced by the government.
THE Minister of Health has, in terms of section 8(1) of the Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) Regulations, 2020 (published in Statutory Instrument 77 of 2020), made the following order:—
1. This order may be cited as the Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) (No. 2) (Amendment) Order, 2022 (No. 42).
2. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) (No. 2) Order, 2020), published in Statutory Instrument 200 of 2020, the Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) (No. 2) Order, 2022), published in Statutory Instrument 67 of 2022, is amended by the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph (f)—
“(g) the wearing of face masks is mandatory —
(i) indoors at workplaces and places to which the public has access, or in public conveyances (taxis and commuter and other buses, goods, public service vehicles, trains and airplanes carrying passengers);
(ii) outdoors in public places, except for those individuals who are fully vaccinated (that is to say those who have been vaccinated at least twice against COVID-19).” reads the Statutory Instrument.