A phased five-stage plan for slowly moving out of COVID-19 lockdown has been published by the Northern Ireland Executive.
First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill outlined the document entitled Executive Approach to Decision Making in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday.
Unlike plans announced in England and the Republic of Ireland, the recovery plan does not set out dates for each of the five steps. Instead progression will depend on key health criteria being met, Arlene Foster said.
Michelle O’Neill said the Executive’s strategy is not time bound. “The incremental five-step approach reflects the risk-based judgements we will make at each stage. These decisions will be evidenced by medical and scientific advice and benchmarked against our guiding principles and international best practice.”
In Northern Ireland, the R-rate is sitting just below one, at 0.8-0.9, and the executive has said it must remain at a low level before restrictions can begin to be lifted.
Five Stages
The first step includes groups of four to six people who are not from the same household being able to meet outdoors while maintaining social distancing, drive-through church services, churches opening for private prayer, opening of outdoor spaces and public sport amenities, drive-through cinemas and more sports, including some water activities, golf and tennis.
The second step will see groups of 10 being able to meet outdoors, team sports training on a non-contact basis in small groups, re-opening of some libraries and open-air museums, as well as indoor activities involving limited contact of less than 10 minutes and with two to four people.
The third step will see a phased return to offices and onsite work, gatherings of up to 30 being able to meet outside, the re-opening of more libraries as well as museums and galleries, concert and theatre rehearsals resuming and larger indoor gatherings.
The fourth step is to see socially distanced church services, resumption of competitive sport behind closed doors or with a limited number of spectators, leisure centres re-opening and outdoor concerts resuming on a restricted basis.
The focus on a recovery plan comes as 447 Covid-19 related deaths, mostly comprising hospital fatalities, have been reported by Northern Ireland's Department of Health so far.
At the time of publication the department also reported that 44 more people tested positive for the virus, leaving the total number of confirmed cases at 4,193.
