Regulations made by the Department of Health and laid before the Assembly under section 25Q (Emergency procedure) of the Public Health Act (Northern Ireland) 1967, for approval of the Assembly before the expiration of 28 days beginning with the day on which they are made.

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2020 No. 290

Public Health

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (Amendment No. 18) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Made

at 7.30 p.m. on 27th November 2020

Laid before the Assembly

at 9.00 a.m. on 30th November 2020

Coming into operation in accordance with regulation 1(2)

The Department of Health(1), 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(2).

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.

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.-(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (Amendment No. 18) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020.

(2) These Regulations come into operation at the time and date they are made.

Amendment of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

2.-(1) The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020(3) is amended in accordance with this regulation.

(2) In paragraph 9A(4) for "4 persons" substitute "eight persons".

(3) In paragraph 1(1)(f) of schedule 2, after "sports and massage therapy" insert "(but not sports massage therapy)".

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health at 7.30pm on 27th November 2020

(L.S.)

Dr Lourda Geoghegan

A senior officer of the Department of Health

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020.

The amendment in regulation 2(2) of these Regulations increases the number of persons who can attend a place of worship for the purpose of recording or live streaming an act of worship to no more than 8 persons.

The amendment in regulation 2(3) removes sports massage therapy from the list of close contact services.

No regulatory impact assessment has been prepared for these Regulations.

(1)

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

(2)

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

(3)

S.R. 2020 No.150 as amended by S.R. 2020 Nos. 170, 187, 195, 198, 202, 204, 210, 213, 224, 225, 232, 239, 250, 255, 256 274 287.