Further Covid restrictions warning sparks call for NI economy kickstart

During a downbeat media briefing yesterday, Dr Michael McBride (pictured below) said that “some degree of the current restrictions” would certainly be needed for the rest of this year and “probably enhanced again” towards the autumn.

He also urged caution when it comes to deciding on the most appropriate arrangements for education provision in the coming months.

His comments raised concerns around potential further disruption to schooling, and of the threat to livelihoods as a result of business closures persisting much longer than initially feared.

Belfast Chamber chief executive Simon Hamilton said the content of the briefing is a cause for concern.

“It is easy at times for anyone when asked a question by the media to be drawn into speculation about future developments more than is probably wise. The chief medical officer is no different,” Mr Hamilton said.

“How we respond to Covid-19 and our efforts to protect lives and livelihoods needs to be guided by the information before us at any given time and our Executive to decide – and it is ministers alone who decide – on the basis of advice and also input from all sectors.”

Mr Hamilton, who served as a DUP minister at Stormont before quitting politics, said that while Dr McBride’s comments on the positive impact of vaccines were welcome, the economy must now be a high priority.

“The chief medical officer is right to highlight the positive impact that the vaccine programme is having,” he said.

“The Executive needs to move to a framework for kickstarting our economy again built around a swift and successful vaccine roll-out combined with testing in workplaces and partnership with business for safe reopening.”

In September last year – when speaking on behalf of eight separate business organisations – Mr Hamilton published an open letter to First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill, urging them to “carefully consider the impact that each has on business and we especially implore you to resist placing our economy in any type of lockdown again”.

The letter added: “It is our fear that the undeniable consequence of a decision to enter into another lockdown ... would be that many businesses, who have endured the extreme difficulties of the past six months, simply would not survive and would be forced to close”.

Earlier this week, DUP MP Carla Lockhart said the reopening of schools should be at the top of the priorities list when the Executive meets to re-evaluate the Covid restrictions.