New NI Restrictions Agreed

The Northern Ireland Executive has reached an agreement to extend the Covid-19 restrictions.

Under the new agreement close contact services and unlicensed premises will remain closed for another week, reopening on Friday 20 November, while licensed premises will have to wait until 27 November.

The new agreement was tabled in last ditch talks yesterday by DUP Economy Minister Diana Dodds. Alliance and the Ulster Unionists backed a proposal, while Sinn Féin rejected it and the SDLP abstained. The agreement is said to be very similar to one previously rejected by the DUP in earlier talks.

The Executive has agreed the following:

• Close contact services including driving instructors will reopen by appointment on 20 November;

• Hospitality will reopen on a graduated basis, with unlicensed premises such as cafes and coffee shops opening on 20 November, with restricted opening hours to 8.00pm. This will not include the purchase or consumption of alcohol on such premises;

• Support will be provided for mitigations to reduce risk within the hospitality sector, including improved ventilation and requirements for the recording of customer information for contact tracing purposes;

• Pubs and bars will be permitted to sell sealed off sales on 20 November;

• The remaining restrictions, which came into being on 16 October, would be extended and come to an end at midnight on 26 November, leaving all elements of hospitality including hotels able to open on 27 November;

• A vaccination programme will be rolled out from as early as possible in December in line with England, initially targeting priority groups such as health care staff, care homes and those with underlying vulnerabilities;

• Ongoing preparation for introduction of rapid testing at the earliest opportunity;

• Additional financial support for affected businesses; and

• A strengthened adherence/compliance working group, which will work to assist and to mitigate risk in the opening up of the hospitality businesses.