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Northern Ireland will enter a six-week lockdown from December 26, according to Northern Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister Michelle O’Neill.
All non-essential retail stores will be closed.
The hospitality sector will only be open for take away food service.
It is understood that the current plan is that schools will remain open.
“While this is draconian in many ways, it is necessary. It is about saving lives,” O’Neill said.
“We are facing the greatest threat since this pandemic began. We need everyone to do their part to prevent the health service from being crushed in January,” he said.
It comes as 12 more Covid-19-related deaths have been recorded in Northern Ireland, bringing the official figure to 1,154.
As the Stormont Executive meets to discuss the imposition of a new lockdown, the number of positive cases has surpassed the 60,000 milestone.
Currently, 656 more cases brought the cumulative total number of infections to 60,287.
There are 460 confirmed coronavirus patients in northern hospitals with 32 in the ICU, 26 of whom are on ventilators.
Health authorities have warned that hospitals are at risk of being overwhelmed as all are operating beyond capacity.
Eight of the 12 major hospitals in Northern Ireland had no beds available yesterday.
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National Ambulance Service paramedics to assist in Northern Ireland this weekend
Paramedics from the National Ambulance Service will work in Northern Ireland this weekend to help ease pressure on the health service there.
NAS staff members have received an email asking if they are available to work in Belfast, Craigavon and Lisburn tomorrow, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
At this stage it is understood that three crews have agreed to work on Saturday and others are expected.
It is believed that at least 1 will be deployed on Friday, 2-3 crews on Saturday and between 1 and 2 on Sunday night.
Paramedics will use their NAS vehicles.
The NAS has confirmed that it will provide assistance, saying its plan is to support the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service to “maintain service delivery and pre-hospital care during a particularly challenging time.”
He said that providing this support “will not affect in any way the normal operation and provision of care of the National Ambulance Service.”
The request for assistance was made by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service due to “continuing operational challenges” providing full levels of coverage.
He has already reassigned all non-emergency teams, as well as available private and volunteer ambulance services.
NAS assistance is provided under a mutual aid agreement between ambulance services on both sides of the border.
A Memorandum of Understanding has been in effect for several years and there is regular cooperation, particularly in border counties.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said: “This additional capacity is very welcome and NIAS is extremely grateful to our NAS colleagues and their staff for agreeing, for the second time in the last 12 months, to lend their support at a difficult time. “.
In a statement, he said the service “continues to experience challenges in providing full levels of coverage throughout Northern Ireland.”
He added: “These challenges, while long standing, have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in significant numbers of staff being unavailable for work at any given time as they must isolate themselves or by a member of their household, testing positive or showing symptoms of Covid-19 “.
On Tuesday, queues of ambulances were witnessed at Northern Ireland’s Accident and Emergency (ED) departments as patients were being treated in car parks due to lack of capacity within hospitals.
At one point, 17 ambulances with patients were lined up outside the emergency department of the Antrim Area Hospital.
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As the number of cases continues to rise in Northern Ireland despite the latest two-week circuit break, health chiefs have cited poor compliance with regulations and guidance as a reason why infections, hospital admissions and death rates remain relatively high.
Economy Minister Diane Dodds said Northern Ireland was in an “extremely challenging position” in terms of transmitting the virus.
“I have said over and over how difficult this cycle of lockdown is for the economy, we have published data on the cost of the cycle of lockdown to the economy, but we will wait and see what brings the discussion forward in the executive,” she said .
Meanwhile, a GP in Co Armagh has appealed to people in Northern Ireland to reduce their contacts and avoid visits to the elderly this Christmas, saying that the positive effects of the vaccine would make these visits more safe in just a few weeks.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Dr Frances O’Hagan said that political leaders and individuals must move forward carefully, “aware that our hospitals, ICUs and GP surgeries are full.”
Dr. O’Hagan said that “we have to think carefully about what we are going to do about Christmas.”
He said individual people should look at their contacts “right now” and minimize them to what is absolutely necessary.
The message must reach those who are not affected by the virus, who must believe that this is very real, he said.
Many think that “it can’t happen to me,” he added, saying that this mentality must change.
He said that in a few weeks the elderly and vulnerable people will be vaccinated, and asked people to delay visits and cuddles with the elderly.
Funeral on the floor: file to be sent to the prosecution
A police investigation into possible violations of coronavirus regulations has concluded at the funeral of Republican veteran Bobby Storey.
Hundreds of people turned out for the farewell in West Belfast in June, despite strict limitations on meetings.
It sparked a major political row in Northern Ireland, with Sinn Féin members accused of ignoring Covid rules by attending the event.
Deputy Prime Minister Michelle O’Neill is understood to be among 24 people who were interviewed by police as part of the investigation.
The investigation had been led by Cumbria Deputy Chief of Police Mark Webster since July.
Webster confirmed in a statement today that the investigation is complete.
“Now we have interviewed 24 people suspected of having breached the regulations and a file will be sent to the Public Ministry (PPS) on Friday, December 18, 2020,” he said.
“I will not comment further so as not to prejudice any future decisions that the PPS makes.”
Webster was appointed to independently examine the sequence of events surrounding the funeral on June 30 and the alleged violations of coronavirus regulations.
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