New Test, Trace, Isolate and Quarantine (TTIQ) models have been announced to be introduced from 23 November 2021.

These include models applicable to ‘general businesses’, like cellar doors, ‘essential businesses’, like office work, and ‘essential services’, like wine production and viticulture.

This will be the guidance to businesses as SA opens up on 23 November and until 90 per cent vaccination is reached – expected by Christmas or early 2022.

A spokesperson for SA health said that there will be positive COVID-19 cases in SA, and the community should prepare for that eventuality.

They added that it will be a complicated and potentially messy four to six weeks from 23 November.

Under the new TTIQ models, new definitions of a “low risk casual contact”, “casual contact”, “vaccinated close contact” and “unvaccinated close contact” with corresponding testing and quarantine requirements have been provided.

SA Health will continue to contact anyone identified as a contact of someone who is COVID-19 positive and provide advice on what is required with regards to quarantining and getting tested.

With these new models, fewer people will be required to quarantine. It will also enable more people to quarantine for shorter periods of time. In addition, following a positive case in the workplace, deep cleaning no longer will be required, routine cleaning procedures will be deemed adequate.

Are you a Daily Wine News subscriber? If not, click here to join our mailing list. It’s free!