It must be made clear to people that lockdown cannot last years, even if some precautions do have to last a long time

Mrs Foster said social distancing could be with us “for some time, maybe months extending to years”.

Ms O’Neill said “there will be no single turning point or sweeping change to the regulations”.

Both expressed sympathy with people’s frustrations.

While they are right to say that there is no easy way out of this economic and social disaster, due to ongoing health concerns about Covid-19, great caution needs to be exercised when talking about social distancing for years.

Imagine a grandparent in their 80s, whose principal joy is seeing their grandchildren. Imagine an elderly person in their 80s who has no family but tries to lead an active life.

They could misconstrue such comments as meaning that lockdown will last for years. Some people at that late stage of life would feel despair at that prospect. Others would simply rebel in the twilight years of their life.

No-one actually said that lockdown itself would last years, but people might have heard it that way, and so it must be made clear it cannot last years even if some caution does.

Meanwhile the Republic is letting people over 70 out to exercise from next week. It is troubling though that schools are not back there until the autumn.

Northern Ireland should largely follow the UK-wide exit strategy, whatever Sinn Fein demands.