Tough new lockdown message from Stormont as Covid advice ‘put into regulations’

Following a meeting of Stormont ministers on Monday night, ministers also said that the stay at home advice will be “put into regulations” making it enforceable in law.

The tough new message came shortly after a televised address to the nation from Prime Minister Boris Johnson – announcing a third national lockdown in England with schools shut to most students until mid-February to prevent the NHS being overwhelmed.

Prior to attending Monday night’s urgent Executive meeting, First Minister Arlene Foster said ministers had some “very difficult decisions to take” in a “dire situation” of soaring coronavirus numbers.

In a BBC interview late on Monday, Mrs Foster said: “The message will be to stay at home, unless you have a reason to leave home.”

As pressure increased on political leaders to take renewed action on Monday, the first people in Northern Ireland received the new Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine – including Belfast man John Grey.

Mrs Foster has also expressed disappointment about “huge” crowds gathered at coastal resorts in recent days – despite people being urged to stay at home.

And commenting on the prospect of further disruption to children’s education, she said: “The advice coming to us is that we will need to take action and that we’ll need to take action very quickly.

“I was very clear that I would like to keep schools open...but if it is the case that we do need to close schools as we did in March of last year, I will deeply regret that, but we will of course take whatever action is needed based on the medical evidence”.

With weekly total number of cases now at its highest level, the BMA has warned that worse could be still to come next week.

In a Twitter message following last night’s Executive meeting, Deputy First Minister Ms O’Neill also said the safety of the planned school transfer tests will also be discussed at Executive level.

Ms O’Neill said: “In addition to the restrictions already in place....Remote learning will be extended. Stay at home will be put in to regulation. Travel will be revisited. Education & Health Minister to bring detail of proposals to meeting of Exec tomorrow to include recommendations on exams.”

Mrs Foster has also said that police enforcement of travel restrictions will have to be addressed.

“Just today I was sent photographs of Portstewart and Portrush over the past couple of days and there were huge crowds gathering together and I really regret that,” she said.

Almost 100 house parties were broken up by the PSNI over the last week, despite strict rules against indoor gatherings. Police also issued 339 £200 fines for breaches of the coronavirus regulations.

Despite the mounting pressure to cancel or postpone this weekend’s transfer tests, Education Minister Peter Weir said he will not move to halt the process, which is privately run outside of the education authorities

Health Minister Robin Swann has also been urged to intervene.

The transfer test organisation AQE had confirmed in recent days its intention to go ahead with examinations on Saturday, despite almost all pupils in Northern Ireland having been told to stay away from school on public health grounds.

The SDLP, Sinn Fein and the Alliance Party have all been calling for the exams to be halted.

Michelle O’Neill said yesterday that “the transfer tests should not proceed.”

“Children who have symptoms of Covid should not attend school. In addition, children who live in a household with someone who has symptoms of Covid or who has confirmed Covid should not attend.”

In Scotland, schools will remain closed until February, while in Wales pupils will not return to the classroom until at least February 18.

• Full text of The Executive Office statement on Monday night:

“The Executive met this evening to discuss the concerning progression of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Last month the Executive moved ahead of other jurisdictions to make an intervention that saw the introduction of strict, wide-ranging measures from December 26 for a period of six weeks, and tonight discussed what additional measures are necessary given the very high levels of virus transmission within the community and the impending pressure on the hospital system from the large numbers of cases.

“The Executive agreed that it will move to put staying at home into regulations and a paper will be brought to the Executive tomorrow setting out the detail, including restrictions on travel.

“Ministers have also indicated that there will be an extended period of remote learning for schools and the Education Minister will bring forward a paper tomorrow on this issue.

“The Executive will consider further advice from the Department of Health setting out the public health situation and future implications, and Ministers will update the Assembly on Wednesday on the decisions they reach at tomorrow’s meeting.”