Future Alcohol Policy Lessons from South Africa’s Temporary Alcohol Sales Ban During COVID-19

The temporary alcohol sales bans implemented by the South African government to reduce the alcohol burden on hospitals during COVID-19 were widely effective. As intended, the bans reduced alcohol-related trauma cases and eased the pressure on the South African healthcare system during the height of the pandemic.
Policy makers and civil society are learning key lessons from the South African alcohol policy experience during the pandemic.
This is the perfect window of opportunity for the South African government to invest in long-term alcohol policy solutions such as the Liquor Amendment Bill, to build back better.