Robin Swann and Stormont Executive must think long and hard before imposing fresh restrictions

Indeed, listening to Health Minister Robin Swann and Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride yesterday you could have been forgiven for thinking we had returned to the worst days of the pandemic.

Mr Swann had already painted a gloomy picture during a television interview on Monday night when he warned of the possibility of a further lockdown in Northern Ireland.

He went even further yesterday as he admitted that fresh restrictions would be considered as early as an Executive meeting on Thursday.

This is a very concerning development. The pattern of increased cases was inevitable when the Stormont Executive approved the reopening of large swathes of the economy earlier in the summer. Ministers also relaxed restrictions on gatherings. The pattern of rising cases has already been seen across parts of the UK and indeed mainland Europe as economies reopened.

It is not yet clear what these fresh restrictions could be with local lockdowns under consideration. However, whatever is imposed, schools should be off limits. Children must return to the classroom full-time later this month, nothing less is acceptable.

The mooted return of lockdowns will also greatly concern retailers here. The announcement by Marks and Spencer of 7,000 jobs going across the UK underlines the scale of the damage done by lockdown. Indeed almost another 100 posts are to go at Bombardier in Belfast.

Mr Swann and his Executive colleagues must consider all of this as they decide whether to impose fresh restrictions.