‘Key date’ ahead as ‘all restrictions’ to be reviewed

The next Stormont Executive meeting could be a “key date” as Northern Ireland hopes to move out of the coronavirus pandemic, Health Minister Robin Swann has said.
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He was looking ahead to the next meeting on February 10, after the Executive agreed to remove several of the restrictions still in place when it met on Thursday.

Following that meeting, a spokesperson for the Executive Office at Stormont confirmed that “all remaining covid measures will be reviewed” on February 10.

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While Mr Swann has sounded a note of cautious optimism, it is far from certain the remaining restrictions will be dispensed with when the Executive meets again in under three weeks.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 21st January 2022

The Northern Ireland Assembly Executive continues to ease COVID-19 restrictions as the pandemic sees signs of slowing down.  A number of restrictions were changed including the ending of table service only in pubs and restaurants.

Jade Dawson and Lydia Hope, who are on holiday from England, enjoy a drink in the DuKe of York in Belfast City Centre. 

Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEyePress Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 21st January 2022

The Northern Ireland Assembly Executive continues to ease COVID-19 restrictions as the pandemic sees signs of slowing down.  A number of restrictions were changed including the ending of table service only in pubs and restaurants.

Jade Dawson and Lydia Hope, who are on holiday from England, enjoy a drink in the DuKe of York in Belfast City Centre. 

Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 21st January 2022 The Northern Ireland Assembly Executive continues to ease COVID-19 restrictions as the pandemic sees signs of slowing down. A number of restrictions were changed including the ending of table service only in pubs and restaurants. Jade Dawson and Lydia Hope, who are on holiday from England, enjoy a drink in the DuKe of York in Belfast City Centre. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

The News Letter has spoken to several members of the Stormont health committee, from a range of parties, who expressed caution when it comes to the lifting of remaining rules.

The Alliance Party’s Paula Bradshaw said it would be “unrealistic” to assume all remaining rules will be dropped so soon.

Mr Swann’s UUP colleague, Alan Chambers, said he is “reluctant to read too much into” the announcement that all remaining restrictions would soon be reviewed.

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The DUP’s Deborah Erskine, however, urged ministers to remember that coronavirus restrictions are only to be kept in place as long as they are deemed “absolutely necessary”.

Minister for Health Robin SwannMinister for Health Robin Swann
Minister for Health Robin Swann

Mr Swann, meanwhile, spoke to the media in Antrim after a swathe of restrictions were relaxed, including an end to the legal requirement for Covid certification to enter some hospitality venues, and the reopening of nightclubs.

“I have always taken the decision at the time in regards to the advice that was put forward via my chief medical officer and chief scientific adviser, so February 10, while it will be a key date, let’s make sure we get there safely and as collectively as we can,” he said.

“I would still encourage people to follow the guidance, follow the regulations that are still in place and take the opportunities to come forward and get their vaccines and their boosters.

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“There are three weeks to go and I want to keep the trajectory of this virus going in the same direction as it has been, and that’s downwards.”

Ms Bradshaw, speaking to the News Letter, said: “Everything, at every stage, of every Executive meeting has been reviewed and looked at so I think it’s unrealistic to assume that there will certainly be this huge lifting of remaining restrictions as there has been in England.

“I don’t think we will see them go away as quickly as the announcement of that date would suggest.

“We are still getting 4,000 cases per day. I think that, obviously, there is less death but there are still people dying every day and there are still a lot of people on ventillators fighting for their lives.

“We are certainly not out of the woods yet.”

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Mr Chambers said: “It’s not unusual that the Executive are going to review all restrictions in early February.

“I’m reluctant to read too much into it, because at every Executive meeting everything is under review.

“There isn’t anything unusual about that, and I wouldn’t read too much into ‘nudge, nudge, wink, wink’ suggestions that have been coming from some members of the Executive.

“Yes, everything will be considered, but it will absolutely depend on the scientific and medical advice. Now, we all want to see normality and we want to get back to the things we had taken for granted.

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“Everything is always on the table. There’s a Covid taskforce that reports and it reports at every Executive meeting, as would the chief medical officer and thechief scientific advisor.”

He added: “We [the UUP] follow and support the medical and scientific advice. We do not lobby for a particular thing to happen.”

Ms Erskine said: “Decisions taken by the Executive need to be evidence based, targeted and effective.

“There has always been a duty on ministers to ensure that restrictions are in place for no longer than is absolutely necessary.

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“When decisions are next taken on February 10 that must be the guiding principle again.

“As we hopefully see the medical threat from Covid-19 continue to reduce, there must also be a renewed focus on the economic impact of restrictions and how we can best support businesses refocus and rebuild.”