WATCH: O’Neill refuses to rule out imposing new NI restrictions by Christmas

By Michael McHugh, PA

Michelle O’Neill has refused to rule out imposing new restrictions in Northern Ireland by Christmas.

Everything must remain on the table as political leaders and medics battle to contain the coronavirus spread, the deputy first minister said.

She added that pandemic limitations represented an “evolving” situation.

“We have to keep everything under review, everything must be on the table.

“We cannot be certain but we can give people clarity around when it is going to happen.

“We have to keep the situation under daily review and that will continue throughout Christmas and the New Year.”

Non-essential retail and other services emerge from a two-week circuit breaker on Friday in time for the pre-Christmas sales rush.

Relaxing curbs on hospitality and close-contact services like hairdressers and beauty salons from Friday is highly likely to lead to a rise in the reproductive rate of the virus, the chief medical and scientific officers have told Stormont ministers.

Stormont decided to allow most industries to reopen from Friday, with the exception of pubs which do not serve food, which must remain closed.

Ministers want to keep the reproductive (R) rate – which represents the average number of people someone with Covid-19 goes on to infect – at 1 or under to prevent an exponential growth in infections.

Ms O’Neill said Covid-19 remained very prevalent in society and warned she could not rule out further restrictions.

She said the introduction of a vaccine was a significant step forward.

“This (vaccine) shows that there is something else. It is not that this is an eternal pattern of lockdowns and restrictions.

“There is a very clear way out. It is a good day, certainly a day of relief and positivity.”