‘Show us Covid sacrifices are paying off’ plea from business organisation

Belfast Chamber chief executive Simon Hamilton said businesses, as well as society in general, need to be shown that “their sacrifices are paying off”.

Mr Hamilton said: “Last week, the Northern Ireland Executive published its much heralded ‘Pathway Out of Restrictions’ which has, justifiably, been maligned by many as a roadmap with no start time and absolutely no sense of duration.

“We had been warned that it would be data driven and not driven by dates. Whilst the absence of even an indicative timeframe in which we all, and especially businesses, could plan and prepare properly for reopening was grossly disappointing and in sharp contrast to England, Scotland and Wales, there was also a dearth of data.”

Mr Hamilton added: “We weren’t informed where the R number or hospitalisation rates or vaccination levels need to be to move us through the Executive’s steps to reopening.

“Since last week’s publication, lots of health data has been moving in a positive and encouraging direction. We have seen the lowest number of people admitted to hospital with COVID-19 since mid-September.

“We’ve had the lowest seven-day rate of infection per 100,000 of the population, again, since September. ONS data showing the lowest percentage of people testing positive since late September. And an amazing vaccination roll out programme which has administered first doses to two-in-five adults in Northern Ireland.

“Obviously, it is up to ministers, on the advice of officials, to decide if this is sufficient to start reopening, but isn’t it fair to ask that they spell out for the rest of us where the data needs to be to start releasing us all from the various restrictions?”

Mr Hamilton also said it was not unreasonable to ask what the infection rate per 100,000 people,,. or the R number should be before we start moving through the steps.

“What businesses and society generally need is the Executive to show them that their sacrifices are paying off, make clear what data they are using”.

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