Donnelly: Covid restrictions could be lifted as early as this weekend
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Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said some of the current Covid-19 restrictions could be lifted in advance of the end of the month, ahead of schedule.
Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Donnelly said in his view and in the view of the Government’s health advisors, the peak of the Omicron wave has now passed.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) is to meet on Thursday and there is a growing expectation that some of the measures, including the 8pm closing time for pubs and restaurants could be lifted as soon as this weekend.
“Do I think that some of the measures will be lifted, the government will decide to move ahead of the end of the month? Yes, I think it's likely that that measures will come in before the end of the month,” Mr Donnelly said.
He said the Government is keen to see an end to the use of emergency powers that were introduced to keep people safe during the pandemic.
Mr Donnelly said: “We introduced very difficult measures to deal with this. And they were necessary, and they are necessary.
"What I want to see, what we all want to see is the quickest possible return to normal life and the lifting of all of the restrictions where possible both critically in a safe and balanced way so we don't squander the very hard-fought gains that the country now has.”
He said the Government is keen to move forward but not in a way that places the progress made in jeopardy.
Mr Donnelly also said it is possible that requirements to wear masks in public places could be removed when the current legislation lapses at the end of March.
“That yes, yeah, they could. Obviously, I'll talk to the Department of Health and the public health officials on them but these are emergency powers.
“We want to see the measures relaxed, that quickly and safely, but then at the same time, what we're doing is the medium-term work, to make sure that we have the national defences in place, such that if another variant of concern arrives, we can respond very quickly and we can respond very comprehensively to keep people safe,” Mr Donnelly said.
Mr Donnelly added restrictions will not be kept in place just to protect the health of those who don’t get a vaccine.
“I don’t believe we should curtail civil liberties or economic liberties for a country, based on a small number of people who choose not to protect themselves.”