Northern Ireland Joins Scotland In Imposing 'Circuit Breaker' Lockdown
Pubs and restaurants in Northern Ireland will close to the public for four weeks as part of a month-long “circuit breaker” lockdown, first minister Arlene Foster has announced.
Schools will also shut for two weeks, extending the half-term Halloween break by a week in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Pubs and restaurants will be allowed to stay open for takeaways.
The measures do not amount to a full-scale lockdown like that imposed during the first wave of the virus, but they mark a significant ramping up of the administration’s response to spiralling infection rates.
Shops will stay open, as will gyms for individual training.
Churches will also remain open. It is understood a 25-person limit will be placed on funerals and weddings, but wedding receptions are prohibited.
People should work from home unless unable to do so, and are urged not to take unnecessary journeys.
Indoor sporting activities are not allowed and outdoor contact sports will be limited to elite athletes.
Off-licences will be required to shut at 8pm.
Foster announced the restrictions at a special sitting of the Assembly on Wednesday.
She said the rising Covid-19 figures in Northern Ireland were of “grave concern”.
“We fully appreciate that this will be difficult and worrying news for a lot of people,” she told MLAs.
“The executive has taken this decision because it is necessary, and we discussed the impacts in great detail. We do not take this step lightly.”
Foster said the executive hoped the restrictions would have two impacts.
“First, on the Covid transmission rates, which must be turned down now, or we will be in a very difficult place very soon indeed,” she said.
“Second, we believe it marks a point where everyone, each and every one of us, can take stock and go back to the social distancing messaging. That is vitally important.”
The restrictions were agreed after a stop-start meeting of the Stormont executive that extended past midnight and into Wednesday morning.
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