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Coronavirus (COVID-19): regulations

Health Protection Regulations have been made in response to the serious threat to public health which is posed by the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Northern Ireland. The regulations are intended to protect you, protect other people, reduce the spread of infection and bring the epidemic to an end as soon as possible.

About the regulations

There are different sets of regulations:

  • Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020, which deal with restrictions on businesses and gatherings
  • Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020, which, as the title suggests, deal with face coverings
  • Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020, which deal with requirements for individuals entering Northern Ireland if they have travelled outside of the Common Travel Area (UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man)

The regulations in Northern Ireland may differ to other parts of the UK.

The regulations and revisions are available on the Department of Health website.

Relaxation of regulations and recovery plan

On 12 May 2020, the NI Executive published a five stage recovery plan to easing the current restrictions.

There are five steps outlined in the recovery plan for six different sectors. In making decisions, the NI Executive considers three key criteria:

  • the most up-to-date scientific evidence
  • the ability of the health service to cope
  • the wider impacts on our health, society and the economy

Guidance

The regulations are legally enforceable restrictions. Guidance has been developed to help you to navigate and comply with the restrictions and to enable you to live as freely as possible within the constraints that they impose.

Overarching guidance on the regulations in Northern Ireland and public health advice is available on the Department of Health website.

Guidance for recovery plan sectors

There is further information and guidance relating to each of the main sectors of the Northern Ireland Executive’s recovery plan:

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