2020 No. 71

Public Health

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Made

Laid before the Assembly

Coming into operation

The Department of Health F1, makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 25C(1), (3)(c), (4)(d) and 25F(2) of the Public Health Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 F2.

These Regulations are made in response to the serious and imminent threat to public health which is posed by the incidence and spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Northern Ireland.

The Department of Health considers that the restrictions and requirements imposed by these Regulations are proportionate to what they seek to achieve, which is a public health response to that threat.

In accordance with section 25Q of that Act the Department of Health is of the opinion that, by reason of urgency, it is necessary to make these Regulations without a draft having been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the Assembly.

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F1

Formerly the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety; see 2016 c. 5 (N.I.), s. 1(5)

F2

1967 c. 36 (N.I.). Part 1A was inserted by section 48 of, and Schedule 18 to, the Coronavirus Act 2020 (c. 7)

Citation and commencementI11

These Regulations may be cited as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 and shall come into operation at 11.00 p.m. on 24th April 2020.

Annotations:
Commencement Information
I1

Reg. 1 in operation at 24.4.2020 at 11.00 p.m., see reg. 1

Amendment of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020I22

1

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 F3 are amended as follows.

2

In regulation 4(8) (further restrictions and closures during the emergency period), omit the words “or burial ground” in both places and “or burials”.

3

After regulation 4, insert—

Restriction applicable to burial grounds4A

During the emergency period, a person who is responsible for a burial ground must take all reasonable measures to ensure that a distance of at least two metres is maintained between every person at the burial ground (except between members of the same household).

4

In regulation 5 (restrictions on movement)—

a

in paragraph (2), after sub-paragraph (g), insert—

ga

to visit a burial ground to pay respects to a member of the person's household, family member or friend;

b

after paragraph (4), insert—

5

A person who leaves the place where they are living does not do so with reasonable excuse under paragraph (2)(b) unless any associated travel that is not in itself exercise is reasonable, having regard to all the circumstances including the nature of the exercise to be taken.

Annotations:
Commencement Information
I2

Reg. 2 in operation at 24.4.2020 at 11.00 p.m., see reg. 1

Amendments (Textual)
F3

S.R. 2020 No. 55

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health at 6.30 p.m. on 24th April 2020

Robin SwannMinister of Health

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020. Regulation 4 is amended to remove the requirement to close burial grounds to members of the public. Regulation 4A is inserted to impose a duty on a person who is responsible for a burial ground to take all reasonable measures to ensure that a distance of at least two members is maintained between every person at the burial ground, except between members of the same household. Regulation 5 is amended to include the need to visit a burial ground to pay respects to a member of the person's household, family member or friend as a reasonable excuse for a person to leave the place where they are living. Regulation 5 is also amended to clarify the circumstances in which a person may leave the place where they are living to take exercise.

No impact assessment has been prepared for these Regulations.