First Minister says next week will be a "key decision point" when restrictions are reviewed

By Q Radio News

Arlene Foster said next week will be a “key decision point” when the coronavirus regulations will be reviewed.

“We need to see the numbers as low as possible so that we can safely plan for gradually emerging from the lockdown,” she said.

“We all want to see an end of the restrictions but we must approach that with care so we don’t lose the gains that we have made.”

Stormont Finance Minister Conor Murphy appeared alongside Mrs Foster at the weekly Executive press conference in Dungannon.

He also hailed evidence that the pandemic is “beginning to decline”.

“Any changes to the restrictions of our behaviours will cause the pandemic to escalate so the restrictions do remain necessary and the actions of the public are still crucially important,” he said.

“The Executive are looking forward to the next phase of our response. There is a collective focus on a managed recovery guided by the medical and the scientific advice.”

At today's press conference,the First Minister also hailed the "significant achievement" of pushing down the curve of coronavirus infections in Northern Ireland.

She said the R number is "steadily below" 1 in the community, "probably between 0.75 and 0.85."

The Department of Health #COVID19 dashboard has been updated.

253 individuals have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. Sadly, a further 9 deaths have been reported.https://t.co/YN16dmGzhv pic.twitter.com/fxdY8nl8lI

— Department of Health (@healthdpt) February 11, 2021

Mrs Foster described the daily case number of 253, and hospital inpatients falling to 518 from 746 a week ago and the numbers of Covid patients being treated in ICU falling below 60, as "another gradual but positive step forward."

She said a quarter of all adults in Northern Ireland will have received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccination by the weekend, which she described as “excellent progress” and a “significant milestone”.