Coronavirus: Some people in NI think this is a holiday – but we will involve police if we have to, say leaders

Meanwhile today Mrs Foster’s deputy first minister Michelle O’Neill said that some people seem to be treating the crisis as if it were a “holiday”, and that such behaviour must end now.

Both of them were speaking today ahead of the introduction of a legislative consent motion on the Coronavirus Bill – a piece of law creating far-reaching powers to combat the Covid-19 infection, which at time of writing tonight had infected around 6,650 people in the UK (with over 330 deaths).

In Northern Ireland, the death toll rose to three today, with the latest victim being in their late sixties with underlying health conditions. They died in hospital in the greater Belfast area.

The toll of infected people in the Province rose today by 20, taking it to 148 cases.

Of those cases, 52 were aged from zero to 44, 51 were aged from 45 to 69, and 45 were aged 70 or over. Females accounted for 64 cases, males 84.

Northern Ireland had its first confirmed case on February 23.

The legislative consent motion will ask MLAs to “endorse the principle” of the Coronavirus Bill being extended to Northern Ireland.

The bill is being debated in Westminster tonight.

It was first drafted late last week and dealt with a raft of measures, from suspending the need for coroners courts to hold jury inquests into Covid-19 deaths, to giving the Department of Health powers for “preventing the spread of infection or contamination by means of any vessel, aircraft, train or other conveyance”.

Both First Minister Mrs Foster and Ms O’Neill spoke about possibly having to force members of the public to follow social distancing rules.

In a joint press conference, Mrs Foster said: “These are abnormal times, requiring each of us to change our normal patterns of behaviour. But unfortunately over the weekend we have seen individuals right across Northern Ireland who are not heeding the advice on social distancing, in shops, on beaches, in holiday home parks, and on our streets.

“By congregating and failing to socially distance they’re putting their own and others’ lives at great risk.

“Let’s be very clear – if you or anyone in your household has symptoms of a high temperature and/or a new continuous cough then you need to self isolate now and stay at home for 14 days.

“Do not immediately contact your GP, pharmacy or your hospital – ring the NHS 111 service for info or advice and they’ll guide you on whether you need to contact the GP.

“As for the rest of us who do not have the virus – as far as we know – we also have a critical role to play right now and in the coming days and weeks as we battle this invisible enemy.

“Letters are being sent out to 40,000 people across NI with health conditions that are regarded as being most at risk to stay at home.

“But even if you don’t have a health condition of this kind you do have a role to play.

“If you’re not self isolating and have to go out into public, protect yourselves and others. That means observing social distancing in the workplace, supermarket, petrol station, while walking or running in open spaces. In these instances you need to be six feet apart from other people.”

She said people should work from home, and “find other creative ways to amuse yourself without the presence of your friends”.

She said: “None of these things are nice to do. They are must-dos. Because this really is a matter of life and death.

“If people don’t follow these guidelines the coronavirus will spread, it will surge, and it will result in a wave of deaths as our hospitals come under intense pressure to deal with the amount of cases coming through their doors.”

She said it also endangered “heroic” front-line workers.

“Please don’t think ‘cause you’re 14, 20, 33, that this won’t affect you. Because around the world we’re seeing the virus hitting all ages, all sections of society, all races and all genders. We cannot afford to be cavalier.”

If people do not listen, “then we as an Executive will act”.

“We will as other governments have done use legislation to enforce social distancing,” she said.

“If the public health advice is that we need to use powers to enforce a lock-down then we will do that in conjunction with the Police Service of Northern Ireland.”

Ms O’Neill said: “This is not a holiday. This is an emergency. People shouldn’t leave the house unless it’s absolutely necessary.

“We won’t get a second chance at this. This is here. It’s now. It’s not a dummy run.

“This is the week where most people who are affected without knowing it will cause the virus to transfer to others.

“What we need is one single monumental effort and it’s all about saving lives.

“We will take emergency powers and that’ll be in place soon. That’ll make sure we can act where people aren’t acting.

But I’d urge everybody not to wait ‘til then.”