THE Stormont Executive is to meet later today for its latest review of its COVID-19 lockdown regulations.
The laws initially took effect on Saturday, March 28, but must be re-assessed every three weeks.
Ministers have already moved to slowly ease some restrictions, by implementing parts of a five-step Pathway to Recovery plan.
But they are not thought to be considering announcing significant changes after Thursday’s meeting.
One measure that could be eased is to allow families to meet up after months apart and allow more non-essential businesses to reopen.
However, hotels, bars, restaurants, barbers and restaurants are not likely to have restrictions removed until at least July or August.
This week has seen a reduction in the number of deaths.
On Tuesday, for the first time in 10 weeks, the health department said it had recorded no Coronavirus-related deaths over the previous 24 hours.
Ministers will receive the latest scientific advice from the North’s Chief Medical and Chief Scientific Officers, and look at the impact the relaxing of some lockdown measures has had on the R-number, or reproduction value – the average number of people that one infected person will pass the virus on to.
Earlier in May, the Stormont executive published its five-phase Pathway to Recovery but, unlike restriction-easing plans laid out in England and the Republic of Ireland, this did not include a firm timetable.
Stormont ministers say not every aspect of each step of their plan will take effect at the same time, and will depend on the R-number remaining as low as possible.
Last week, Health Minister Robin Swann said the R-number here was between 0.7 and 0.8.
McDonald’s two drive-thru restaurants in Derry to reopen next Thursday
First Minister Arlene Foster had previously said ministers would revisit whether relatives who do not live together would be allowed meet indoors.
This measure is the only element of step one of the Stormont recovery plan that has not been allowed to go ahead.
Last week, the executive agreed to allow:
Churches and places of worship to reopen for private prayer
Outdoor activities that did not involve shared contact with hard surfaces – such as golf, water sports and tennis
Drive-in cinemas and drive-in music events
There have also been calls for local shops to be provided with a timetable for reopening.
In England, all non-essential retailers can open from Monday, June 15.
Fast food chain McDonald’s has announced that it will reopen its drive-thru restaurants in the North of Ireland, including its two in Derry at Strand Road and Crescent Link, from next Thursday, June 4.
They will be open for drive-thru collections only.
On Wednesday, Agriculture and Environment Minister Edwin Poots said he believed it would be useful to provide businesses with a timeframe – but stressed that any decisions would be taken in line with advice ministers received.
“Hopefully in the next week we can look at what we can move on next and how we can facilitate bringing back a degree of normality,” he said.
It will be a “huge challenge” for the executive, and any decisions must be based on the scientific advice, he added.
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