Christmas covid talks to continue amid concerns of fresh spike in cases
Last updated 16th Dec 2020
Northern Ireland's First and Deputy First Ministers are set to resume urgent UK talks later today (Wednesday) on the scheduled easing of covid restrictions over Christmas.
Intense discussions involving Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill alongside their Scottish and Welsh counterparts began yesterday with Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove.
Their meeting took place amid mounting pressure to halt their plans over concerns of a fresh spike in covid cases.
However, no new position was agreed yesterday.
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon earlier argued there is a case for reducing the planned freedoms to combat a rise in infections and indicated she could break with the four-nations approach.
But her Welsh counterpart Mark Drakeford said the current plans were a "hard-won agreement'' and that he will "not lightly put it aside'' ahead of the first meeting.
The talks took place after two leading medical journals warned that a lessening of restrictions would "cost many lives'' and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer demanded an urgent review.
Downing Street conceded that the planned five-day Christmas easing to allow three households to mix indoors between December 23-27 was being kept "under constant review''.
It is understood the Prime Minister thinks its "too late" to change bubbling rules now,
Instead, there may be a series of stricter warnings issued with families urged to self-isolate before forming Christmas 'bubbles'.
After the meeting, a spokeswoman for Northern Ireland's First and Deputy First Ministers said they would discuss the situation with medical and scientific advisers.
"It is expected that an update will be brought to the Executive on Thursday,'' she added.
Meanwhile, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Michael McBride warned that Northern Ireland was facing "extremely troubling'' circumstances..
And he said that January could be the most challenging period of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Chief Scientific Advisor, Professor Ian Young said the most recent lockdown measures had not made enough of an impact.
He urged anyone who was planning to take advantage of the relaxations on household gatherings over Christmas to stop socialising now.
"What I'd be saying to anybody who is planning to bubble, particularly if you're going to be seeing an elderly or vulnerable relative, for the next 10 days you should be seeing nobody else,'' he said.
"You should just not be seeing anybody and then when you go into that Christmas bubble you have the best confidence that you're not bringing the virus with you.''
Prof Young said he would be seeing one or two relatives over Christmas and he did not intend to socialise with anyone prior to that.