LISTEN - Chief Medical Officer urges people to reduce their contacts before Christmas

By PA News

Northern Ireland’s chief medical officer has warned that the region is not where it needs to be in terms of Covid-19 infection rates ahead of further Christmas relaxations.

Dr Michael McBride said it was important that arrangements agreed by the four UK regions for the festive season were “kept under review”.

“As I’ve said many times the virus doesn’t read our plans and decisions that were made by all four nations 10 days ago in relation to planning and preparation for Christmas need to be kept under review, depending on how the virus is transmitting and the rates of infection that we’re seeing,” he said.

“We’re clearly not where we wish to be or hope to be or need to be, particularly heading into a further period prior to Christmas with the relaxations in place and particularly with the advice over the Christmas period.

“I think people need to be really, really careful. We need to be very careful going into the Christmas period.”

Dr Michael McBride added: “Ministers have previously made a decision around Christmas bubbling, that was some time ago when the rates of transmission were as they were and it’s right and proper that ministers keep all of those decisions under review.”

He added: “I can’t pre-empt what the outcome of those discussions will be but throughout all of this we have sought to ensure that we take a precautionary approach and seek to ensure that we protect as many people as we possibly can from Covid-19.

“There’s no doubt, we all know, that relaxations come with risk, and certainly the Christmas bubbling household relaxations come with increased risk.”

The CMO said those risks had to be balanced against the potential mental health benefits of allowing family members to come together.