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Northern Ireland Prime Minister Arlene Foster said tougher restrictions “are not inevitable” there, while DUP Senior MP Jeffrey Donaldson questioned the need for a region-wide lockdown.
The comments were made before three more coronavirus-related deaths were reported in the North, along with 877 new cases.
The official death toll now stands at 591 with 21,035 confirmed coronavirus cases.
There are currently 140 hospitalized patients in Northern Ireland with Covid-19, including 22 in intensive care.
Donaldson was reacting to reports that Stormont Medical Director Dr. Michael McBride advocates a six-week lockdown to stop spiraling infection rates.
The DUP parliamentary leader said such a proposal was much more extensive than was being considered in other parts of the UK or the Republic of Ireland.
“A total six-week lockdown, back to where we were last March, I think would take us way ahead of anywhere else,” Donaldson told BBC Radio Ulster’s Nolan Show.
“I would need to be convinced that such measures at this time are appropriate for all of Northern Ireland.
“I would like to know why we are abandoning the policy of focusing on the areas where infection rates are highest.”
Yesterday 1,066 new cases of coronavirus were registered in Northern Ireland.
Donaldson said that Dr. McBride needed to produce data to justify imposing a six-week lockdown.
“What we are asking the medical director is why we need a total lockdown in those areas where the infection rate is much lower to combat the spread of infection in places like Derry and Strabane.” he said. “I think it’s a fair question.”
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McDonald says the next 24 hours are crucial
Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald has said that the next 24 hours are crucial on the island of Ireland in the battle against Covid-19.
He spoke after a meeting with the Taoiseach, the Minister of Health and the Medical Director.
Ms. McDonald said health interventions and social support are now required.
Elsewhere, the Republic’s medical director has said that NPHET wants to work as closely as possible in the two parts of the island to try to control transmission across the island.
Dr Tony Holohan said they are in constant contact with their counterparts in Northern Ireland.
He said that while the incidence in Northern Ireland is much higher than the incidence south of the border and the doubling times for cases are shorter than here, they have the same general goals of disrupting the pattern of transmission.
Dr. Holohan said there is clearly a challenge with the spread relative to various counties along the border, such as Donegal.
He said they had seen very substantial transmission patterns in Cavan in recent days, which are very large in terms of population compared to other counties.
Dr Holohan said that there had been a particular challenge in terms of population movements in the counties close to Northern Ireland.
Earlier, Northern Ireland Prime Minister Arlene Foster said it was “hugely disappointing” that a small minority of people thought they were not concerned about the spread of the virus “when of course they are.”
In a video on Twitter, he said that there are currently 19 patients in the ICU.
“We need to stop the spread of the virus, otherwise it will have a hugely detrimental effect on our health service,” he said.
0830 update. 👇👇
Balance necessary to protect life and livelihoods. pic.twitter.com/6acS6egNEa– Arlene Foster # We will meet again (@DUPleader) October 12, 2020
He said the tougher restrictions “are not inevitable if people go back to the basics, like washing their hands and wearing a mask in the appropriate places.”
“We in the Executive will have to make big decisions this week and they are far from being simple and cannot be characterized as health versus wealth.
“On a very basic level, if you lose your job, if your business sinks and you end up in poverty, that also has health implications.”
Ms Foster said that the health of Covid-19 and not Covid-19 should be considered before any additional restrictions, as well as social and family impacts, including “the education of our young people and their life opportunities.”
He said that the Executive would be weighing some very important decisions in the coming days.
Sinn Féin’s spokesperson for health in Northern Ireland said the situation is “very worrying” and called for maximum possible efforts to reduce Covid-19 transmission rates.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Assembly Health Committee Chairman Colm Gildernew said it is recognized that it will be necessary to increase Covid restrictions.
Although local restrictions have been put in place, he said, it is recognized that greater action must be taken across the board.
Stormont Deputy Prime Minister Michelle O’Neill of Sinn Féin said today on Twitter: “Our covid situation requires decisive action to stop the spread and therefore we need the finances to support workers, families and businesses in these challenging times. “
Ms O’Neill, who isolates herself after a family member tested positive, though she tested negative herself, said she had raised the need for additional financial support to the British government this morning.
Also today, a respiratory consultant at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry said staff struggled yesterday to find beds for the “sheer number of people coming through the door.”
Dr. Martin Kelly said that although not many patients needed ICUs, many were very ill and some of them were quite young.
The situation has taken off in recent weeks “in a somewhat unexpected way,” he told RTÉ’s News At One.
Dr. Kelly said there is a lot of belief among people that something radical should be done because the numbers are “intolerable.”
Simon Hamilton, chief executive of the Belfast Chamber of Commerce, warned that a second shutdown could wipe out many businesses.
“While we all appreciate that the situation with the virus has worsened and that action is required, the Executive must also consider the broader and long-term impacts on society, our mental health, jobs and the economy of the elections Before they do .
“Until a vaccine is available, it is clear that, regardless of the measures that the Executive introduces, they will not end the virus, but the inadvertent effect of their decisions in the coming days could be to destroy many, many companies and many, A lot of Workposts”. with them, affecting thousands and thousands of families throughout the region.
“The Executive faces some difficult decisions, but surely they know that stopping and restarting large sectors of our economy over and over again and hoping that there will be no damage, no business closures, no job losses, or uncertain futures for many families is foolish.
“Another blockade with insufficient support and without a clear path must be avoided at all costs.”
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