He says the question that faces the Executive is how to stem a disturbing increase in COVID-19 cases across the North of Ireland.
Mr Swann says tomorrow’s Executive will have recommendations on the tightening of some restrictions.
He says decisions will be taken as to whether this will “apply to the whole of NI or more localised areas with higher rates of prevalence”.
“I am confident ministers will agree with me on the need for action – the figures suggest the time has come that we need to introduce measures to limit contact between people.”
Earlier British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced no more than six people can meet indoors or outdoors from next Monday, September 14.
Anyone caught breaking the new ‘rule of six’ faces a fine or arrest by police in England.
Mr Swann added: “Our case numbers have been rising sharply and so have the percentage of positive tests and more people of an older age are testing positive.
“We know the implications of that for our loved ones.
“If a foreign country had our figures we would be imposing quarantine on anyone returning from us.”
He says he does not want to restrict freedom and had supported the opening society for peoples’ mental and physically health and the economy.
He says it was good that hospital admissions were low but warned that this could change.
He also urges people to download the COVID app StopCovidNI as he says the more who download it, the better it would work.
The North’s chief scientific advisor Professor Ian Young says there has been a twenty-fold rise in the daily number of new Coronavirus cases since the beginning of July.
Prof Young added that increased testing, which has risen five-fold, does not explain the rise in cases.He says it will be “inevitable” that more cases will emerge among older people in the North of Ireland.
This will lead to more hospital admissions and “more deaths”, he warns.
Speaking at the Stormont press briefing, Prof Young says there is no place in the North of Ireland where the virus does not exist in the community.
The chief medical officer warns young people they “are not immune” to Covid-19 and they need to take care that they do not spread the virus.
“I urge you all, continue to behave responsibly, adhere to the guidance,” Dr Michael McBride says, in a message directed to younger generations.“Please do not risk bringing this virus home to your parents and grandparents.
“Do not become the reason why they become ill,” he added.
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