By Tony O’Riley
Schools in Northern Ireland are to close from Monday and hospitality businesses will face tight new restrictions from Friday, in strict new measures to stem the flow of the coronavirus.
Health officials executed the closures in response to warnings that infections would rise further if both schools and hospitality premises remained open.
The executive agreed to close schools for two weeks, including the half-term holiday, until Monday 2 November, at which time a review of the impact of closure will occur.
The final decision came after ministers were locked in talks from Tuesday night into the early hours of Wednesday morning, attempting to reach a compromise on a range of decisions.
Ministers have agreed to the closure of the hospitality sector, apart from deliveries and takeaways, with the existing closing time of 23:00 remaining. Other fast-food and takeaway premises will also have to close at 23:00.Off-licences and supermarkets will be told not to sell alcohol after 20:00
Prohibition Of Indoor Sports
Indoor sport and organised contact sports of all kinds will be prohibited other than at elite level. All mixing of households will also be prohibited.
Close contact services – apart from those meeting essential health needs such as hairdressers – will have to close, but businesses will be defined under the regulations . Mobile hairdressers and make-up artists – also classed as close contact services – will be prohibited from providing their services in people’s homes.
Gyms can remain open but only for individual training – no classes will be permitted. Places of worship can remain open but face coverings will be mandatory when entering and exiting the venue
Another 863 cases of the virus were also reported by the department, bringing Northern Ireland’s total to 21,898 – more than a quarter of which have been recorded in the past seven days.
Image:Grovenorgrammarschool.org