BBC News
By John Campbell
Published
image copyrightPacemaker
image captionBelfast International Airport s managing director called for rules to be relaxed within the Common Travel Area
Stormont ministers have been urged to change guidance for travel after restrictions were relaxed in England.
Belfast International Airport s managing director Graham Keddie said as a first step, leisure travel should be allowed in the UK and Ireland.
The current guidance says people should only travel for essential reasons.
Those include work. accessing education or health services and fulfilling caring responsibilities. Low virus levels
Mr Keddie said the incredible success of the vaccination program meant the time was right to look at travel within Britain and Ireland, known as the Common Travel Area (CTA).
Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland Dr Michael McBride said in a statement that the news was not entirely unexpected and that plans are in place for such an eventuality.
Dr McBride stated that the confirmation of the seven cases does not mean the variant will become the most dominant strain in the North, but that it does highlight why caution is still essential in relation to Covid-19.
He explained: “The most effective way to stop variants developing or spreading is to keep pushing down infection rates and transmission of the virus in our community.
“All variants spread in the same way. We protect ourselves and others by following public health advice and getting vaccinated when our turn comes.
A total of 15,630,007 people in the UK have now received both doses of Covid-19 vaccine and are fully vaccinated against the virus.
This is the equivalent of 29.7% of the adult population, or people aged 18 and over, based on the latest population estimates from the Office for National Statistics.
(PA Graphics)
– England
As of May 3, 13,072,543 people had received both doses of Covid-19 vaccine, according to NHS England.
This is the equivalent of 29.5% of the adult population.
Figures for age groups are available for vaccine doses up to April 25.
These show that an estimated 87% of people aged 80 and over are now fully vaccinated, along with 92% of 75 to 79-year-olds, 71% of people aged 70-74, 31% of people aged 65-69 and 20% of people aged 60-64.
Vials of the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine (Yui Mok/PA)
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A total of 15,630,007 people in the UK have now received both doses of Covid-19 vaccine and are fully vaccinated against the virus.
This is the equivalent of 29.7% of the adult population, or people aged 18 and over, based on the latest population estimates from the Office for National Statistics.
(PA Graphics)
– England
As of May 3, 13,072,543 people had received both doses of Covid-19 vaccine, according to NHS England.
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