Executive to meet to discuss possible tightening of COVID-19 restrictions

By Q Radio News.

The Executive is set to meet later today to discuss the possibility of tightening COVID-19 related restrictions.

With increasing rates of the virus in Northern Ireland,the Health Minister Robin Swann is expected to advocate for tighter rules to be put back into place.

He said these could include reducing the number of people who can meet together in a household, as well as indoor and outdoor gatherings, and sporting events.

Mr Swann said chief medical officer Michael McBride and chief scientific adviser Ian Young will make recommendations to ministers.

Dr McBride said he will recommend a return to full lockdown if the region reaches the point of 80 cases per 100,000 head of population.

There have been almost 300 new cases confirmed in Northern Ireland over the past seven days.

Mr Swann said it has not been possible to pinpoint a reason for the increases.

“At this minute in time we cannot put our finger on any specific either location or activity or industry as to a cause of the number of increases in positive tests that we have seen,” he told the BBC.

“There’s no one trend across Northern Ireland causing these increases; if there was, it would be very easy for us to act. Because we are seeing that mixture, that’s why we’re looking at the introduction of a more generic reduction on relaxations.”

Mr Swann also said he could not rule out a return to full lockdown later this year.