Executive meets to decide whether to ratify easing of more Covid restrictions

Further easing of pandemic rules is on the agenda as the Executive meets amid continued increases in coronavirus cases and hospital admissions.
By Niall Deeney
Published 22nd Jul 2021, 07:01 BST
Social distancing could be reduced to one metre indoors and removed altogether outdoors from Monday if the Executive agrees to planned changes todaySocial distancing could be reduced to one metre indoors and removed altogether outdoors from Monday if the Executive agrees to planned changes today
Social distancing could be reduced to one metre indoors and removed altogether outdoors from Monday if the Executive agrees to planned changes today

The next steps out of lockdown were agreed by the Executive earlier this month, but need to be ratified during a meeting due to take place later today if they are going to go ahead.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health has announced that vaccinations will be made available to some 17-year-olds in Northern Ireland

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Young people who turn 18 before November can now access their vaccines at the regional walk-in centres, or via the online booking portal later today.

The number of second doses could breach the one million mark today, the latest figures show.

A total of 2,184,162 vaccinations have been administered in Northern Ireland so far – 1,188,669 first doses and 995,493 second doses.

The one million fully vaccinated milestone, which will be reached if yesterday’s total of 5,531 second jabs is repeated in today’s figures, comes after a warning from the Chief Medical Officer Dr Sir Michael McBride that vaccine uptake rates amongst young people in Northern Ireland were lagging behind other parts of the UK.

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Today’s Executive meeting, meanwhile, comes after nearly 2,000 new cases were recorded yesterday and the number of people with the virus in hospital was listed as 134.

The number of cases being recorded in Northern Ireland has more than doubled in a week.

In the past seven days, a total of 9,088 new coronavirus infections have been recorded. At the same time last week, the figure was 3,977.

The statistics showed 72 hospital inpatients with the virus last week. This week it is 134 – a rise of more than 86% in just seven days.

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Despite the latest surge, England opted to end all coronavirus restrictions on Monday.

Today, the devolved Northern Ireland government will consider whether to move ahead with its plan to reduce the legal requirement for social distancing to one metre indoors, and remove it altogether for outdoor activities and public transport from Monday.

Another change on the horizon on Monday, if approved by ministers, will be the return of audiences in theatres, concert halls and other indoor venues, as well as the return of conferences and exhibitions.

The cap on the numbers allowed to meet in homes could be increased to 10 from three households, not including children.

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The legal requirement to wear face coverings in church will also be removed from Monday onwards if the previously agreed changes are ratified.

Two new virus deaths were reported yesterday, bringing the total to 2,166.

Related topics:Northern IrelandDepartment of HealthEngland