Covid-19: No lockdown expected this winter, says Murphy

Stormont's Finance Minister Conor Murphy has said he does not expect that Northern Ireland will be placed under a Covid-19 lockdown this winter.

Discussions between executive ministers had "not pointed in that direction", he said.

It comes as more of Northern Ireland's Covid-19 restrictions are to be eased this weekend.

Mr Murphy said the executive was right to be "cautious" in easing the rules more slowly than other parts of the UK.

In their latest move, ministers have decided that social distancing in pubs and restaurants will become guidance rather than a legal requirement from Sunday.

Nightclubs will be allowed to reopen on the same date and the wearing of masks will not be mandatory for people when they are dancing.

Speaking last Saturday, Health Minister Robin Swann said he would "not be deterred" from recommending the reimposition of restrictions if his health advisers believed it was necessary.

On Thursday, Mr Murphy told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme that the public had "largely but not totally" been adhering to the existing rules.

"That needs to continue over the winter months," he said.

"You either have a blanket approach where [restrictions] are necessary everywhere or you try to find circumstances where you can mitigate," said Mr Murphy.

"You take in a range of factors, including the economic recovery including societies needs," he said, adding that the alternative was to "lock down everybody" all the time.

"Any time you move to have restrictions at all there are always contradictions and confusions and situations arising in relation that which aren't as clear cut to some people."

"That's always been a balancing act from the moment this pandemic began, and from the moment we began to easy restrictions we recognised there will always be grey areas."

He said that the pandemic's effect on the economy "hasn't been as bad as we expected" but were still worries about some aspects.

Mr Murphy reiterated his view that the chancellor's budget had been "disappointing and a missed opportunity" but added: "We will do the best to transform society out of the pandemic."