Arlene Foster announces extra Covid-19 restrictions

Stormont first minister Arlene Foster announced extra coronavirus restrictions.

They include:

– No households meeting indoors and only up to six from two households in a garden.

– No overnight stays in a private home unless in a bubble.

– Work from home unless unable to do so.

– Universities and further education advised to deliver distance learning to the maximum extent possible with only essential face to face learning where that is a necessary and unavoidable part of the course.

– Closure of the hospitality sector apart from deliveries and takeaways for food, with the existing closing time of 11pm remaining.

– Other takeaway premises will then be brought in line with hospitality with a closing time of 11pm.

– Retail will stay open, with urgent engagement with the sector to ensure that retail is doing everything it can to help suppress the virus.

– Closure of close contact services apart from those meeting essential health needs which will be defined in the regulations to ensure continuation of essential health interventions and therapeutics.

This will not include complementary treatments.

– No indoor sport of any kind or organised contact sport involving household mixing other than at elite level.

– No mass events involving more than 15 people (except for allowed outdoor sporting events where the relevant number for that will continue to apply).

– Gyms may remain open but for individual training only with local enforcement in place.

– Places of worship to remain open with a mandatory requirement to wear face coverings when entering and exiting.

This will not apply to parties to a marriage or civil partnership;

– From Monday weddings and civil partnerships will be limited to 25 people with no receptions.

Venues providing the post-ceremony or partnership celebration may remain open for this purpose this weekend but may not provide other services for people who are not part of the wedding or partnership and this will be limited to 25.

– Funerals and committals to be limited to 25 people with no pre- or post-funeral gatherings.

– No unnecessary travel will be advised.

– Off-licences and supermarkets will not be permitted to sell alcohol after 8pm.

The above restrictions will apply for four weeks.

– In education, the half-term holiday break will be extended from October 19-30 with schools reopening on Monday November 2.