NI Covid advice update: most vulnerable advised not to attend workplace

The department has also said that those in the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) category should not “form a Christmas bubble,” and to avoid attending shops, pharmacies and hospitality setting unless absolutely necessary.

Anyone in the CEV category who decides to meet with family over the festive period should do so for as short a time as possible, and with very strict precautions, the new guidance states.

In a statement on Wednesday, the DoH said: “It is important to note that this is advice only; people are free to make their own judgements about whether or not they should attend work, depending on the Covid-security of their working environment.

“The general guidance that is in place in relation to household mixing, travel, wearing of face coverings and hand hygiene, and the additional restrictions recently agreed by Northern Ireland Executive to limit the spread of the virus, mean that CEV people will be protected from exposure to Covid-19 across a wide range of settings.

“However, after careful consideration, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Michael McBride and his team has concluded that additional advice for CEV people in relation to attending the workplace is necessary.”

Dr McBride said: “The new variant of the virus, coupled with the pressure that our HSC services are experiencing, mean that the risks associated with Covid-19 are elevated.

“This strengthened advice is intended to offer enhanced protection from Covid-19 to the most vulnerable people in our society.

“It is not a return to shielding as we knew it at the outset of the pandemic. We are not advising CEV people to stay permanently indoors, and I would encourage CEV people to continue to go outside for exercise, provided they observe social distancing when they do so”.

The new guidance is effective for an initial six-week period but will be reviewed after four weeks in line with the review of restrictions more generally.

The CMO will be writing to everyone on the CEV list to advise them of the new advice in place, as well as updating the NI Direct website with the new information.

Anyone who is now unable to work as a result of the new guidelines will be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay, in the way SSP was available at the beginning of the pandemic measures.

Advice on the help that may be available from the benefit system can be accessed on the UK Government information website at www.gov.uk/universal-credit