Professor Salim Abdool Karim says face masks must still be used indoors

After more than two years, President Cyril Ramaphosa has lifted South Africa's State of Disaster.

But some regulations remain in place for a transition period that the law caters for up to 30 days.

Going forward, the pandemic will be managed in terms of the National Health Act and draft regulations are open for public comment until mid-Aprill.

They allow for various restrictions if the Health Minister concludes any disease to be a notifiabke medical condition.These include the stipulation that masks be worn indoors andretailerss, workplaces and others ensure social distancing.

At the same time the Department of Social Development is finalising separate regulations to allow the R350 SRD grant to continue to be paid.

So how safe are we now with new variants being reported around the world?

SABC News speaks to Professor Salim Abdool Karim who is the Director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa. SA's former top ministerial Advisor on COVID-19.