Minister calls for extension to furlough scheme

Economy Minister Diane Dodds has called for an extension of the furlough scheme to protect jobs in Northern Ireland.

Economy Minister Diane Dodds

Around 106,000 people were furloughed in Northern Ireland under the UK Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, as of 31 January 2021.

Minister Dodds said:

“This week we launched our Economic

Recovery Action Plan. To enable us to reopen, recover and rebuild our economy, we need to ensure that we keep people in employment, and to do that we’ll need workplaces to reopen, customers to return and companies to get back on their feet.

“Some sectors, like hospitality and aerospace, will need more time and space for them to bounce back.

“It is essential that the UK Government extends the Job Retention Scheme.

“Businesses right across Northern Ireland need assurance and certainty to enable them to plan for their future."

Other Northern Ireland News:

 

Minister hails care home vaccination programme

The drive to administer first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine across all of Northern Ireland’s care homes has been completed, Health Minister Robin Swann has confirmed.

Trust vaccination teams have been visiting care homes since the vaccination programme commenced in December. The last remaining homes have now been visited, the programme schedule has allowed sufficient time for outbreaks of infection to conclude and vaccination to subsequently be offered to those care homes.

The progress in vaccinating care homes has been hailed by Health Minister Robin Swann as an important milestone in the battle against COVID-19.

But the Minister has warned that measures to protect care home residents and staff from coronavirus will not be relaxed at this stage.  These measures include strict infection prevention and control practices, maintenance of social distancing, use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and a programme of regular asymptomatic testing.

An important epidemiology study is now commencing which will examine the impact of vaccination on care homes in NI.  The learning emerging from this work will be of significant interest.

The Minister said: “Vaccination will provide vital protection to our care home residents. It will save lives and reduce serious illness.

“My heartfelt thanks go all those involved in delivering the vaccination programme across our care homes. I very much welcome the fact that this aspect of our vaccination programme is completed.

“We will need to maintain a precautionary approach, particularly given the prevalence of the virus in the wider community and the fact that vaccination of the overall population remains at a relatively early stage.”

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Lourda Geoghegan spelt out the key factors behind the continuing precautionary approach.

• No vaccine in history has ever been 100% effective. It is anticipated that a small minority of people, including some care home residents, may not derive full benefits from vaccination against Covid-19.
• The current evidence tells us that those who are vaccinated and protected from serious ill-health may still acquire the virus. Furthermore, definitive data is still awaited on the impact of vaccination on transmission of the virus. It cannot be ruled out that some vaccinated people could still pass the virus on to others.
• While provisional figures for the care home vaccination programme show a high rate of uptake among both residents and staff, not everyone took the opportunity to receive the vaccine.

Dr Geoghegan stated: “As the vaccination programme continues its roll-out, it’s essential that all those who receive the vaccine maintain maximum vigilance. I would encourage everyone to keep taking the same actions to protect yourself and others from infection – cutting down contacts, maintaining social distancing, washing hands thoroughly and often, and wearing a face covering.

“It is far too early for anyone to even think of dropping their guard. That message is obviously vitally important in our care homes, given the particular threat COVID-19 poses for elderly residents.

“We expect the impact of the vaccination programme on care homes to be felt over the coming weeks and months. We currently see a very welcome reduction in care home outbreaks. Vaccination will not stop all outbreaks happening, nor will it bring existing outbreaks to an immediate close.

“However, it will protect thousands of residents from serious illness and loss of life.”

Dr Geoghegan also explained: “An outbreak in a care home is defined as two or more positive COVID-19 tests within a 14 day period among residents and/or staff. By definition, an outbreak may involve a very small number of staff or residents in a care home. It may also include cases where no resident has tested positive or become ill.

“Data published on the Department’s COVID-19 Dashboard shows that a significant proportion of current outbreaks in care homes involve asymptomatic cases. This may include cases where staff who don’t have any symptoms have been identified as positive through the programme of regular testing currently undertaken in all homes.”

Coronavirus (Covid-19) Infection Survey Northern Ireland – 13 to 19 February 2021

The Department of Health today published the next in the series of weekly results from its COVID-19 Infection Survey (CIS).

The findings set out in this report relate to modelled positivity estimates for NI for the week up to the 19 February 2021. The aims of the CIS are to estimate how many people have the infection and the number of new cases that occur over a given time as well as estimating how many people have developed antibodies to COVID-19.

The survey over time will help track the extent of infection and transmission of COVID-19 among people in the community population (those in private residences).

Key Findings

Due to the relatively small number of tests and positive swab results within our sample, credible intervals are wide and therefore results should be interpreted with caution.

• During the most recent week of the study (13 February – 19 February), it is estimated that 9,500 people in Northern Ireland had COVID-19 (95% credible interval: 6,600 to 13,100). 

• This equates to 0.52% of the population (95% credible interval: 0.36% to 0.71%) or around 1 in 195 people (95% credible interval 1 in 280 to 1 in 140).

• This is based on statistical modelling of the trend in rates of positive nose and throat swab results. Modelling suggests that in the most recent week, the percentage of people testing positive in Northern Ireland has continued to decrease.

• In the latest six-week period, there were 24,065 swab tests taken in total from 11,403 participants. Of these, 271 participants tested positive from 241 different households.

• In the latest two-week period, of the 6,176 participants in the study, 41 tested positive from 37 households.
• Rates appear to have decreased across all ages in recent weeks.

New variant analysis

A new variant of the coronavirus (COVID-19) was identified in the UK in mid-November 2020. The new UK variant of COVID-19 has changes in one of the three genes which coronavirus swab tests detect, known as the S-gene. This means in cases compatible with the new variant, the S-gene is no longer detected by the current test. While there are other reasons why a positive swab test may not detect the S-gene, absence of the S-gene has become a reliable indicator of the new UK variant in COVID-19.

In contrast the South African variant has an S-gene that is detectable with the current test and will therefore be included in the “not compatible with new variant” group of COVID-19 where the virus level is high enough to identify this. Which of these types of COVID-19 are compatible with the South African variant cannot be identified from the swab PCR test alone. You can read more about the new UK variant in a recent Office for National Statistics blog(external link opens in a new window / tab).

In Northern Ireland, the percentage of people testing positive with all variants of the virus has decreased in the week ending 19 February 2021.

It should be noted that there is considerable uncertainty around these estimates due to the small numbers of new variant compatible positives detected in Northern Ireland and also given that not all cases that are positive on the ORF1ab and N-genes will be the new variant.

Resurfacing Scheme for A20 Rowreagh Road, Kircubbin

A £400,000 resurfacing scheme on Rowreagh Road, Kircubbin will commence on Monday 8 March 2021. The improvement works consist of two stretches, a length of approximately 1,300 metres from the junction of Lisbane Road to Gransha Road and a length of approximately 420 metres running north from the Loughdoo Road junction. The scheme includes resurfacing of the carriageway and drainage improvements.

To complete the scheme safely traffic management measures will be in place between the hours of 9.00 am and 5.00 pm from Monday 8 March until Friday 16 April 2021. Works will be paused over the Easter break.

Due to the nature of the scheme it will be necessary to operate a daily weekday road closure for the resurfacing operations (Monday to Friday) between the hours of 9.00 am and 5.00 pm from Monday 22 March to Friday 16 April 2021, with the exception of Easter.  During these times a diversion will be in place with traffic being diverted via A20 Rowreagh Road, B173 Rubane Road, B173 Kircubbin Road, A2 Main Road, Cloughey, A2 Portaferry Road, A2 Cloughey Road and A20 Deerpark Road.

The road will be open to traffic in the evenings Monday to Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday.  Local access for residents and emergency services will be maintained at all times during the works. 

The Department has carefully planned these road works and associated traffic management arrangements in order to minimise inconvenience to the public.  Road users are advised to allow extra time for their journey and to follow the alternative routes which will be clearly signed on the approaches to the closure.

In order to help ensure the safety of road users and road workers, the public is asked to comply with all temporary traffic restrictions and to take extra care when travelling in the vicinity of the works.

Substantial completion of the work by 16 April  2021 is dependent on favourable weather conditions and the Department will keep the public informed of any change. All work will be carried out in line with current public health and safety advice, with safe systems of work in place for staff and contractors.

For traffic information about this and other improvement schemes visit: Trafficwatchni(external link opens in a new window / tab)

Experience of Crime: Findings from the 2019/20 Northern Ireland Safe Community Survey published today

The Department of Justice (DoJ) today published Research and Statistical Bulletin ‘Experience of Crime: Findings from the 2019/20 Northern Ireland Safe Community Survey’ (NISCS; formerly known as the Northern Ireland Crime Survey (NICS)).

A National Statistics publication, the bulletin focuses on crime victimisation rates in Northern Ireland for the following broad crime types:

• crimes affecting the whole household (mainly property offences), including vandalism, domestic burglary, vehicle-related theft, bicycle theft and other household theft; and
• personal crimes against respondents only (mainly violent offences), including common assault, wounding, mugging (robbery and snatch theft from the person), stealth theft from the person and other theft of personal property.

Key Findings

• Results from the 2019/20 NISCS indicate that most adults did not experience a crime asked about in the survey.  Latest findings estimate that 6.9% of adults were victims of at least one crime measured through the survey during the 12 months prior to interview.  This showed no change since 2018/19 (7.5%).  The 2019/20 rate of 6.9% is one of the lowest victimisation (prevalence) rates estimated since the measure was first reported in 1998 (23.0%).
• Findings from NISCS 2019/20 and the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW; formerly the British Crime Survey) 2019/20 show that the risk of becoming a victim of crime remains lower in Northern Ireland (6.9%) than in England and Wales (13.3%).  These figures compare with 7.5% and 14.9% (respectively) in 2018/19.
• An estimated 96,000 incidents of crime occurred during the 12-month recall periods for NISCS 2019/20.  This compares with the 2018/19 estimate of 122,000.  The 2019/20 figure is two-thirds (67%) lower than the peak in 2003/04 (295,000).
• Latest findings estimate that 45% of all NISCS crime was reported to the police.  A subset of NISCS crimes is broadly comparable with a subset of PSNI recorded crimes. Results from 2019/20 estimate that 46% of these crimes identified in the survey were reported to the police. Burglary (69%) displayed the highest reporting rate in Northern Ireland. 
• The most common reason cited by both NISCS and CSEW 2019/20 respondents for not reporting a crime to the police was ‘too trivial / no loss / police would not / could not do anything’ (57% and 70% respectively). This was followed by ‘private matter / dealt with the matter ourselves’ (29% and 17% respectively).

Job fairs go virtual in response to pandemic

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has announced a series of virtual job fairs being piloted by the Department for Communities over the next few months.

Job fairs go virtual in response to pandemic

The innovative pilot programme has been introduced as an alternative to physical job fairs which have been suspended due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The virtual job fair series will include regional, sectoral and council-partnered events and will begin with a regional job fair in the North West on Thursday, 4 March.

Minister Hargey said: “Each year my Department hosts a series of face-to-face job fairs which bring together a wide range of employers and jobseekers to showcase available employment opportunities.

“However, due to the challenges faced by the Covid-19 pandemic these have had to be suspended.

“After exploring alternatives to physical events, I have progressed this innovative digital approach to assisting jobseekers which will allow opportunities to be accessed virtually.”

The online virtual platform being piloted will include a ‘lobby’ area which will display and guide jobseekers to participating employers and other support organisations.

Jobseekers will be able to: choose which employers or organisations to visit; view suitable vacancies; and connect with individual employers directly for details and advice.

The Minister continued: “As we move through these unprecedented and challenging times, it is important that we explore all opportunities to support those in the job market.

“I would encourage jobseekers and employers to get involved in any of the events scheduled for their chosen area.

“It is hoped that this approach can then be expanded and developed as we continue to plan our recovery from this crisis.”

The first of the virtual job fairs will take place on Thursday 4 March 2021. Details of this and other events will be advertised on the Department for Communities social media outlets and JobCentre Online(external link opens in a new window / tab).

Murphy expresses concerns over Levelling Up Fund

Finance Minister, Conor Murphy has expressed concern over the Levelling Up Fund.

Responding he said: “The fact that this fund will be controlled from Westminster shows blatant disregard for devolution and is unacceptable.

“If the British Government were serious about ‘Levelling Up’ then they should be providing a Barnett Consequential to enable funding decisions to be taken locally so that they can be more effectively targeted on local needs.”

The Minister continued: “The British Government has already indicated that they intend to take control of the Shared Prosperity Fund which will replace some elements of our EU funding. This continual impingement and interference on devolved arrangement cannot continue. Local Ministers are best placed to make decisions for those they’ve been elected to serve and which reflect the needs of local communities.”