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. 233

Public Health

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Made

at 5.30 p.m. on 29th October 2020

Laid before the Assembly

at 9.00 a.m. on 30th October 2020

Coming into operation in accordance with regulation 1

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 and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 and shall come into operation at the time and on the date that they are made.

Amendment of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

2.-(1) The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020(3) are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 2, at the appropriate place insert ""junior pupil" has the meaning given by sub-section 2(2) of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986(4);".

(3) In regulation 4(2) omit sub-paragraph (a).

(4) In regulation 4(2)(b), for "child who is under the age of 13" substitute "junior pupil not yet receiving secondary education".

(5) In regulation 4(3)(a)(ii), after "use by the public" insert "or as a school transport service".

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health at 5.30 pm on 29th October 2020

(L.S.)

Nigel McMahon

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, Wearing of Face Coverings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020. They extend the requirement to wear a face covering to post primary school children on school transport and on other public transport.

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. 151 as amended by S.R. 2020 Nos. 164 and 220