Dublin, Dec. 18, (dpa/GNA) – A six-week lockdown is to be imposed in Northern Ireland on December 26 in an attempt to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The Northern Ireland executive agreed to the measures on Thursday as a further 656 cases of Covid-19 and six deaths were reported by the Department of Health.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill described the situation as “quite dire,” according to Press Association reports.
All non-essential retail will be closed; the hospitality sector will be open for take away service only.
It is expected that schools will re-open in January after the Christmas holidays.
Northern Ireland’s health service has come under increasing pressure, with reports of severe stress on emergency services as the number of Covid-19 infections rises.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill described the situation as “quite dire,” according to Press Association reports.
Northern Ireland’s health service has come under increasing pressure, with reports of severe stress on emergency services as the number of Covid-19 infections rises.
South of the border, paramedics from the National Ambulance Service responded to calls for assistance and will be deployed in Northern Ireland on Saturday to help ease pressure on its health service, Irish national broadcaster RTE reported.
A two-week “circuit breaker” lockdown, that lasted until December 10, failed to bring the rates of infection down in Northern Ireland.
GNA