A number of relaxations to Covid-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland are to come into force this week.
After a meeting on January 20, the Executive said the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Advisor confirmed that NI is likely to be past the peak in Omicron case numbers.
It added how it remains possible that case numbers may rebound due to the impact of the return of schools.
A spokesperson continued: "Hospital admissions and Covid bed occupancy as a result of community transmission have also peaked and are beginning to fall slowly. Based on current data, a rise in Covid ICU occupancy is not expected in this wave.
"The measures put in place in response to Omicron were a balanced and proportionate intervention based on the best available evidence. However, the improved outlook on hospital pressures allows us to relax some restrictions within the next week."
The Executive agreed the following relaxations :
From January 26 at 12 noon:
- Nightclubs will be permitted to open.
- Dancing and indoor standing events can resume.
- In relation to COVID-status certification – the legal requirement will continue to apply in relation to nightclubs and indoor unseated or partially seated events with 500 people or more. For other settings where COVID status certificates are currently required, guidance would strongly encourage their continued use.
- In workplaces - the requirement for offices to take reasonable measures for 2m social distancing will be removed. Guidance remains in place that risk assessments should be carried out.
Relaxations already in place since January 21:
- In hospitality settings - the requirement to be seated whilst consuming food and/or drink and for table service in premises that provide alcohol has been removed as has the rule of six.
- In domestic settings - guidance regarding the cap on the number of households meeting indoors has been removed. (A maximum number of 30 people permitted to gather is retained in regulation.)
- On face coverings – the requirement to provide proof of exemption has been removed and the reasonable excuse of ‘severe distress’ has been reintroduced.
- The guidance on working from home has reverted to working from home where you can with employers encouraged to facilitate this.
The minimum self-isolation period for people testing positive for Covid-19 has been reduced to five full days, subject to negative lateral flow tests on days five and six of their isolation.
All remaining Covid measures will be reviewed by the Executive on February 10.
This includes:
- the legal duty on retail to take reasonable measures to reduce the risk of transmission;
- the legal requirement to wear face coverings and the associated duty on businesses to take reasonable measures to ensure compliance;
- the legal requirement for risk assessments in prescribed settings;
- the legal requirement for recording visitor information in prescribed settings;
- the remaining legal requirements in relation to Covid-status certification; and
- the guidance on the regular use of LFD testing, and in particular before meeting up with others.
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