NORTHERN IRELAND HAS introduced similar measures to those introduced in the Republic, limiting home visits to six people and outdoor gatherings to 15. 

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride said that Covid-19 cases had been growing and that a concerted effort is needed to prevent a continued rise. 

McBride said that the R Number in Northern Ireland was now 1.3 and the return of schools is likely to put “upward pressure” on that number. 

“The reopening of schools is a major priority for me as chief medical officer.
There is harm being caused to our children at present, real harm in terms of their mental health and well-being. Real harm in terms of their opportunity,” he said. 

We must get our schools opened. We must get our children back to school. That will increase further pressure on R, potentially, so we will have to manage that carefully. 

NI Health Minister Robin Swann said that there has been “anecdotal evidence” of increasing community transmission from house parties.

“The measure that we have to hand is limiting and managing the size of those parties, the number of different households that can meet and the maximum number that can meet,” he said.

McBride said that there has been a significant increase in the number of cases among younger people, adding that partly explained why a similar increase in hospitalisations had not yet been seen.

“From the research that we’ve carried out here locally in Northern Ireland, we know that we’ve seen a significant increase in new cases, particularly in those under the age of 40, and under the age of 30, and that’s the case across these islands and indeed, in the UK, more generally.

“It probably partly explains the reason why we’re not seeing the increase in hospital admissions at this stage, but again, that could also be due to a two to three week delay when we might expect to see between people becoming symptomatic and requiring hospitalisation.”