NI ministers to consider easing lockdown rules
It's already emerged the isolation period for covid positive people is being cut.
Last updated 20th Jan 2022
The relaxation of current lockdown rules is set to be considered today.
Stormont ministers will be meeting to discuss the pandemic and it is understood the date suggest we are nearing the end of the post-Christmas Omicron wave.
If ministers agree to the proposals, there could be an end to the rule of six in hospitality, and the rules around mandatory proof of covid status for entry to SOME venues could be done away with.
The data
Hospital admissions and Covid bed occupancy increased in the last week, but started to slowly fall in the last few days.
The latest Department of Health data suggests between 1 in 15 and 1 in 20 of the population tested positive for the virus in the week up to January 7, indicating around 18,000 cases per day, which corresponds to the central and pessimistic scenarios presented in mid-December.
The paper issued ahead of the meeting says that NI may experience a second peak in case numbers in the next two weeks as a result for further spread of the virus among school age children though.
It also notes the severity of Omicron appears to be "substantially reduced" from the Delta variant, and it is "likely that current measures will be sufficient to maintain peak hospital numbers at a significantly lower level than last January".
However, the paper warns that very high levels of community transmission may result in significant staff absences with the potential to reduce capacity in health trusts.
On Wednesday evening, First Minister Paul Givan said that the self-isolation period for Covid-19 will reduce from seven days to five.
Mr Givan tweeted that the Department of Health has confirmed that the new rule will apply from January 21.
In the same tweet, Mr Givan also expressed hope that progress can be made at the meeting of the Executive on Thursday to lift some Covid measures.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'NeilL said she hopes to be able to make "some positive strides forward on the Covid front, and particularly in relation to restrictions all the while guided of course by the health advice".
Mr Givan and Ms O'Neill met with Health Minister Robin Swann, chief medical officer Sir Michael McBride and chief scientific adviser Professor Ian Young on Wednesday to discuss the latest state of the pandemic in the region.
They are set to travel to Londonderry on Thursday for a visit, and will remain in the city to virtually chair a meeting of the Executive.
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