Northern Ireland has gone far enough towards lockdown and should go no further

Mr Roberts could not be more explicit in his advice to Stormont, now that the Republic of Ireland has gone into a second lockdown. “Ministers here should not even consider going down that road.”

And so they should not.

For whatever reason, there has been little criticism in the Republic of Ireland the sweeping restrictions that they have imposed over Covid 19, both in the first lockdown (when people were prohibited going more than 5km or three miles from their home) and now that they are going into a second lockdown in which non essential shops will shut.

The Republic’s rules are a matter for them. The question needs to be asked though: why has Ireland’s Covid outcome since March not been much different to Northern Ireland’s or to a comparable sized country such as Scotland? It hasn’t even been that much better than in England (which is far more densely populated and has a vast global city).

There is growing evidence that Covid cannot be stopped. Look at Germany, which was held up as a model of a good response but which is now battling a second wave. Then consider Sweden. It never had lockdown, and did suffer more deaths per capita than its neighbours. But it did not experience as much economic damage and its population was not put at as much risk of chronic loneliness or mental health issues.

It is becoming clear that we will have to live with the virus. That does not mean a free for all. It means vigilance, regular handwashing, careful social distancing and thoughtful behaviour around other people, and, above all, it means extreme caution around, and shielding of, the vulnerable.

We have already closed pubs, restaurants and hairdressers, plunging people back towards ruin.

Northern Ireland has made a mistake and lost another school week, when pupils are already behind.

We must go no further, despite what the all island advocates say.

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