Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
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Golf courses and churches also open Groups of up to 6 can meet outside Foster plea amid recycle hub queues
STORMONT has served up an easing of the lockdown to pave the way for tennis, golf and individual prayers in churches.
More restrictions were lifted yesterday to let groups of up to six people meet outside but families were told they still can’t enjoy get-togethers indoors.
First Minister Arlene Foster said: “They have been hard-won freedoms and it is vital when you exercise those freedoms you do it in a way that does not put anybody else’s safety at risk.” Yesterday, traffic queues built up as recycling facilities and garden centres were opened. One driver said: “I’ve had a two-hour wait but don’t mind as I am getting rid of a lot of stuff cluttering the garage.”
STORMONT yesterday announced further relaxing of the Covid-19 lockdown with activities from church visits to meeting small groups of friends now permitted.
At the daily briefing, First Minister Arlene Foster said churches will re-open but only for “acts of individual worship”, providing ongoing guidelines like social distancing can be adhered to.
Outdoor activities now allowed include meeting friends or family in groups of up to six people as well as past-times where social distancing can be followed and there is no “touching of shared hard surfaces” such as golf and tennis. However, Mrs
Foster said meeting family members indoors is not yet permitted.
She added the health advice was the virus spreads more easily indoors than outdoors.
Mrs Foster said religious services are “under review” but added drive-in religious services are allowed so long
as people “remain in their cars”. The DUP leader added small weddings are also being considered.
She said the arts “provide solace and escapism” to many people and there will be some relaxation here too in the form of cinemas, concerts and live theatre where they are drive-in and audiences stay in their vehicles. Mrs Foster added: “The relaxations I have announced have been made possible by the vast majority of you faithfully following the public health advice on self-isolation and social distancing.
“They have been hard-won freedoms. It is vital that when you exercise those you do it in a way that does not put anyone else’s safety at risk.”
The First Minister also cleared up some confusion regarding the over-70s, saying they can avail of the new freedoms so long as they are not people specifically told to “shield” for medical reasons.
The new freedoms emerged as six more deaths related to Covid-19 were reported by the Department of Health yesterday, bringing its total to 482. An extra 16 cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 4,401.
The total number of confirmed outbreaks in care homes is 71, with a further 33 suspected outbreaks, the department confirmed.
Meanwhile, the health authorities said coronavirus testing would be offered to all care home residents and staff, including those where there “have not been outbreaks”, in a vulnerable sector which has seen more than 100 confirmed or suspected outbreaks and many fatalities.
Health Minister Robin Swann said the testing regime is moving to the “next level”.