This is not 'freedom day' for Northern Ireland, says Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Ian Young

By PA

Stormont’s chief scientific adviser Professor Ian Young has said the lifting of Covid-19 regulations in Northern Ireland should not be viewed as its “freedom day”.

Professor Young urged people to continue to wear face masks in certain public settings, even though it will no longer be a legal requirement.

“When something changes from regulation to guidance it doesn’t mean that our behaviours need to change, or indeed that they should change,” he said.

He added: “I think most of our population are acutely aware of the dangers and risks which Covid has brought, the huge harms that have been done.

“We all want people to get back to living as normally as possible – wearing a face covering in appropriate settings doesn’t stop that.

“It’s helpful, it will reduce your risk of transmitting the virus to other people and it will in some cases provide some small degree of protection to yourself as well.

“So we very much want people to continue to follow the guidance and to wear face coverings in appropriate settings.”

He added: “I would absolutely not use the term ‘freedom day’.

"This is not freedom day.

"I hope this is a day when people will move from feeling that their behaviours are covered by regulation to using exactly the same behaviours, through choice, in response to guidance.

“That’s what we all need to do and continue to watch closely the numbers, the data, to take up opportunities for vaccination, and to engage in other good behaviours.

"Things have not changed in that respect.”
Professor Ian Young said he appreciated that people who are clinically vulnerable may feel concerned by the lifting of the restrictions.

“The extent to which people who are most vulnerable will be at risk depends on the behaviours that we all choose to adopt under this guidance rather than regulation,” he said.

“And we all have a role to play in terms of protecting them.”

The chief scientific adviser said there was still very high levels of Covid-19 in the community in Northern Ireland – with one in 13 infected according to the latest available data.

“We’re acutely aware that this remains a global pandemic,” he said.

“Even though we’re transitioning to living with the virus in Northern Ireland, and in the UK, it’s still very prevalent here and in other countries, and there’s absolutely a risk that another variant may appear.

"And, if that’s the case, there’s no guarantee that another variant will be less severe.”

Professor Ian Young said the lifting of legal restrictions should be viewed as a “milestone”.

“I think all of us look on today as a little bit of a milestone, certainly in terms of the removal of regulation,” he said.

“The two years have been incredibly difficult, have been incredibly difficult for society, for the economy, for all of our colleagues who have been working in the health and social care system at the front line, and for patients and families, many of whom have made considerable sacrifices.

“I think we absolutely welcome the fact that ministers have decided to remove restrictions.

"But that does not mean that the epidemic is over. It’s simply not.

“As I’ve said, the levels of infection remain really very high, people’s behaviours need to remain cautious.

"We need to continue to meet outdoors, to use strong ventilation indoors where possible, to wear face coverings in settings where we can’t keep our distance from other people, and to continue to use lateral flow and other tests, and to be careful in terms of our interactions with the most vulnerable.

"That hasn’t changed for the moment.

“There may yet be more twists and turns.

"I hope not.

"But certainly today is something that we can all welcome and reflect on the sacrifices which have been made in the last two years.”