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Coronavirus: How lockdown rules differ in Northern Ireland Coronavirus: How lockdown rules differ in Northern Ireland
(10 days later)
The Northern Ireland Executive has published its five-stage plan for slowly easing the coronavirus lockdown. Northern Ireland is moving at a slightly different pace than the rest of the UK when it comes to easing the coronavirus lockdown.
Unlike the recovery plan in the Republic of Ireland, the blueprint for NI does not include projected dates. The NI Executive published a five-stage plan earlier in May, although it does not include a timetable.
The current lockdown remains in place until 28 May, but some aspects of the first stage of the executive's plan have already taken effect. Recovery blueprints published in England and in the Republic of Ireland do provide projected dates
The current lockdown in Northern Ireland remains in place until the next review on 18 June, but some steps of the Pathway to Recovery have already taken effect.
Movement between each of the five stages will depend on progress in reducing the transmission of the virus, being guided primarily by medical and scientific evidence and the NHS's capacity to cope, the executive has said.Movement between each of the five stages will depend on progress in reducing the transmission of the virus, being guided primarily by medical and scientific evidence and the NHS's capacity to cope, the executive has said.
Northern Ireland's Pathway to Recovery plan is broken down into sections covering family, work, exercise, education, travel and retail. Northern Ireland's roadmap is broken down into sections covering family, exercise, work, education, travel and retail.
Here's a look at how the plans compare to both the measures announced by the prime minister last week - which only apply in England - and the Republic of Ireland's roadmap. Here's a look at how the plans compare to measures announced in other parts of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
Work Family and community
Step one of the loosening of restrictions in Northern Ireland sees those unable to work from home encouraged to go back to work on a phased basis. In Northern Ireland, groups of up to six people who do not share a household can meet up outdoors, while maintaining social distancing.
In the Republic of Ireland, phase one measures began on Monday 18 May, introducing a phased return of outdoor workers, for example construction workers and gardeners, with social distancing rules enforced. NI was the first part of the UK to allow such numbers of people to meet together outside.
Anyone else who can work from home is to continue to do so. In the Republic of Ireland, up to four people who do not live together can meet outdoors, while keeping at least 2m apart.
People in England who can't work from home - particularly in construction and manufacturing - are also being actively encouraged to go to work. In England, there can be gatherings of up to six people from different households including in private gardens from Monday, having already been allowed to meet people from one other household outdoors.
They should still avoid public transport if possible because of social distancing and employers should make workplaces "Covid-secure" - by staggering shifts, rethinking shared equipment or planning safe walking routes. In Scotland, people from two households can meet outside but groups of no more than eight should meet at a time.
The Welsh government has said that people there from two different households will be able to meet each other outdoors from Monday.
In Northern Ireland, drive-in church services can also be held and churches can open for private prayer with appropriate distancing.
Marriage ceremonies for the terminally ill are already permitted, and, from 8 June, the executive has provisionally agreed to allow weddings outdoors, limited to 10 people attending.
However, people cannot visit immediate family indoors yet, despite it being part of the first step of the recovery plan.
The executive has pledged to revisit lifting this restriction, once the medical advice changes.
ExerciseExercise
In Northern Ireland, phase one sees outdoor spaces and public sports amenities reopen. In Northern Ireland, outdoor spaces and some sports amenities have reopened.
People can continue to run, walk and cycle but outdoor activities and sports that do not involve shared contact with hard surfaces, such as golf, water sports and tennis, can restart again. Outdoor activities and sports that do not involve shared contact with hard surfaces, such as golf, water sports and tennis, are allowed.
Last week, ministers had agreed angling could already be permitted. From 8 June, outdoor sports courts will also be permitted to open.
In the Republic of Ireland, some outdoor activities are now allowed.In the Republic of Ireland, some outdoor activities are now allowed.
Golf courses have reopened on a restricted basis, along with sports pitches and tennis courts where social distancing can be maintained.Golf courses have reopened on a restricted basis, along with sports pitches and tennis courts where social distancing can be maintained.
People are also allowed to exercise in a group of no more than four people, where social distancing can be applied.
In England, people can take "unlimited amounts of outdoor exercise" and generally spend more time outdoors for leisure purposes.In England, people can take "unlimited amounts of outdoor exercise" and generally spend more time outdoors for leisure purposes.
Sports such as golf, basketball, tennis and fishing are now allowed involving members of the same household.Sports such as golf, basketball, tennis and fishing are now allowed involving members of the same household.
People are also free to sit in parks, and to play sports with people from the same household. In Scotland, outdoor activities where physical distancing can be maintained can now resume - although the Scottish government's "strong advice" is people should not go further than five miles for recreation (8km).
Driving to a beach or park is also permitted. However, social distancing rules - keeping at least 2m apart from non-household members - still apply. Work
Family and community So far the loosening of restrictions in Northern Ireland sees those unable to work from home encouraged to go back to work on a phased basis.
Marriage ceremonies for the terminally ill are now allowed in Northern Ireland. In the Republic of Ireland, there has been a phased return of outdoor workers, for example construction workers and gardeners, with social distancing rules enforced. Anyone else who can work from home is being advised to continue to do so.
First Minister Arlene Foster said ministers had authorised the move after hearing the case of a terminally ill woman who wants to get married. People in England who can't work from home - particularly in construction and manufacturing - are also being actively encouraged to go to work.
Drive-in church services can be held and churches can open for private prayer with appropriate distancing and cleaning. They should still avoid public transport if possible because of social distancing and employers should make workplaces "Covid-secure" - by staggering shifts, rethinking shared equipment or planning safe walking routes.
Groups of up to six people who do not share a household can meet up outdoors while maintaining social distancing. In Scotland, most outdoor work that has been put on hold can resume, garden centres can reopen and site preparation can begin in the construction industry.
However, people cannot visit immediate family indoors yet, despite it being part of the first step of the recovery plan. In Wales, the advice has been that people should work from home where possible, and only essential retail has remained open.
The executive has pledged to revisit lifting this restriction, once the medical advice changes.
In the Republic of Ireland, up to four people who do not live together can meet outdoors, while keeping at least 2m apart.
In England, new guidelines allow one person to meet one other person from outside their household outdoors - as long as they stay more than 2m apart.
However, this does not include meeting up in private gardens.
ShoppingShopping
In Northern Ireland, garden centres and recycling centres can reopen, if social distancing measures can be maintained. Northern Ireland has already lifted some restrictions on garden centres and recycling centres, drive-in cinemas and drive-in music events.
Drive-in cinemas and drive-in music events are also allowed. The executive has said it hopes to agree next week to allow large non-food retailers to reopen from 8 June, which would include car showrooms, electrical shops and phone shops.
Pubs, cinemas, gyms, non-essential retail stores and hairdressers must still remain closed.Pubs, cinemas, gyms, non-essential retail stores and hairdressers must still remain closed.
In the Republic of Ireland shops that are primarily outdoor-based can reopen. This includes garden centres, hardware stores and farmers' markets, provided they can enforce social distancing. In the Republic of Ireland, shops that are primarily outdoor-based have reopened.
Opticians, homeware shops, motor and bicycle retail and repair businesses, office product retailers, electrical stores, IT businesses and phone shops and repairers will also be able to open again. Opticians, homeware shops, motor and bicycle retail and repair businesses, office product retailers, electrical stores, IT businesses and phone shops and repairers have also been allowed to open again.
There have been no significant changes to the rules in England, with the exception of those workers who cannot work from home being encouraged to return. In England, all non-essential retailers can reopen from 15 June.
Wales and Scotland have not made any changes to their rules on shopping yet.
SchoolsSchools
Stormont ministers had already ruled out a return of schools before the summer, with Education Minister Peter Weir saying he believed a phased return would not happen until September. Stormont ministers had already ruled out a return of schools before the summer, with Education Minister Peter Weir saying the first batch of pupils will start to return from late August.
That would tie in with the start of a new educational year.That would tie in with the start of a new educational year.
There are therefore no changes proposed for phase one.
Remote learning will still take place and plans are being worked out that would look at reducing the numbers of pupils in class sizes.Remote learning will still take place and plans are being worked out that would look at reducing the numbers of pupils in class sizes.
The Republic of Ireland intends to begin a phased reopening on schools on 10 August, in measures included in the last step of its five-stage recovery plan, with creches and pre-schools potentially returning sooner, on 20 July. The Republic of Ireland intends to begin a phased reopening on schools on 10 August, in measures included in the last step of its five-stage recovery plan, with crèches and pre-schools potentially returning sooner, on 20 July.
In England, primary schools may be able to re-open "in stages" from 1 June at the earliest. In England, some schools are due to reopen from 1 June.
The government says it is also an "ambition" to give secondary pupils doing exams next year some time with their teachers before the summer holidays. In Scotland, schools have been asked to start preparing for the return of pupils in the autumn, while the Welsh education minister has said schools there will return only when it is "the right time and it is the right thing to do".