Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SALON..THEN SALOON
But NI pubs must remain closed until April 30 with outdoor service Hairdressers to welcome back first customers from next Friday
HAIRDRESSERS and beauty salons will be allowed to reopen from next Friday, the Executive agreed yesterday.
But pubs and cafes will have to wait a little longer to welcome back their customers, with outdoor service only on April 30.
First Minister Arlene Foster said: “This is a landmark day for Northern Ireland as we step firmly and with confidence on our pathway to recovery.”
NORTHERN Ireland is “entering brighter and better times” after Stormont unveiled key dates to unlock Covid restrictions yesterday.
The reopening of the tourism and hospitality sectors were fast-tracked as part of a series of measures agreed by politicians.
They were outlined by First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’neill.
Under the plans, hairdressers can reopen on April 23, pubs and cafes can serve people outdoors from April 30 and indoors from May 24, with hotels also able to fully reopen.
But this date is indicative and subject to another Executive review earlier in that month.
After lengthy discussions through Thursday, ministers brought forward a series of reopening dates they had been initially considering.
RECOVERY
With Northern Ireland having marked one million Covid-19 vaccines by last weekend and with other key health and scientific indicators going in the right direction, ministers have agreed the most significant steps out a lockdown that started just after Christmas.
Mrs Foster said: “This is a landmark day for Northern Ireland as we step firmly and with confidence on our pathway to recovery.
“I am pleased and proud that through our collective efforts we have reached a point where we have established a good level of control over the virus.
“We are now entering brighter and better times.
“This balanced package of relaxations will restore those familiar aspects of everyday life that have been missed dearly.”
Ms O’neill added: “Today, the light at the end of the tunnel has just got a little bit brighter.
“We have agreed a significant package of easements which will make a fundamental difference to people’s lives and wellbeing.
“The restrictions have been a necessary response to the pandemic, to suppress the virus and save lives.
“But they have taken their toll on people right across our society.
I’m delighted that we are now in a position to move forward, thanks to the efforts and sacrifices of the public and the success of our vaccination programme.
“We can all take comfort from this progress and look forward to doing the things that are important to us while keeping ourselves and others as safe as possible.”
The Stormont Executive has agreed the following lockdown relaxations:
April 23
Close contact services, hairdressers and beauty salons, reopen. Outdoors visitor attractions reopen. Driving lessons can resume. Theory and practical driving tests resume.
Outdoor competitive sport will be allowed with numbers not exceeding 100. No spectators allowed.
Outdoor sport training extended to full squad training. Equine assisted learning and therapy can take place outdoors and indoors, limited to 30 people.
Static band practice/rehearsals can resume outdoors.
April 30
All remaining non-essential
The light at end of the tunnel has got a little brighter
MICHELLE O’NEILL YESTERDAY
retail to reopen. Self-contained tourist accommodation, such as caravans and rented holiday homes, can operate.
Licensed and unlicensed premises can serve customers in outdoor settings in groups of six from no more than two householders.
Removal of curfews on takeaways and off-licences. Reopening of gyms and swimming pools for individual activities. Limit on outdoor gatherings in domestic gardens increased to 15 people from no more than three households.
May 24 (indicative date)
Licensed and unlicensed premises can operate indoors. Rest of tourist accommodation can reopen. Domestic gatherings indoors allowed. Indoors visitor attractions reopen. Return of indoor group exercise, with numbers limited to suit the size of venue.
Wedding receptions and post-burial events can take place in indoor hospitality venues, after appropriate risk assessments are undertaken. Meanwhile, two further deaths of patients who had previously tested positive were recorded yesterday along with another 159 cases of the virus.
Also yesterday it was announced people who have had close contact with someone who has coronavirus will be asked to take a lab test within 48 hours – whether they have symptoms or not.
Up to now only those with symptoms of the virus had to take a test. Health Minister Robin Swann said it is aimed identifying those who could be carrying the SARS-COV-2 but don’t have symptoms.