Ballymena, Belfast and those who live in the BT43, BT28 and BT29 (Glenavy, Lisburn and Crumlin) areas are set to face new restrictions.
This is due to a rise in cases of coronavirus.
No more than six people from two households in those areas will be permitted to gather in a garden.
The restrictions will come into effect next week and are likely to last for at least a fortnight.
The measures were announced by First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill in their first joint press conference at Stormont for over two months.
And from this Saturday travellers arriving in Northern Ireland from Portugal (excluding Madeira and the Azores), Hungary, French Polynesia, and Réunion must self-isolate for 14 days.
Meanwhile, Sweden will be added to the Travel Corridors exemption list at 4am on Saturday (12 September).
…………………
The restrictions are:
- No mixing of households in private dwellings, with exemptions for: bubbling with one other household; caring responsibilities including childcare; essential maintenance, supported living arrangements; visits required for legal or medical purposes; or marriage or civil partnerships where one partner is terminally ill;
- No more than six people to gather in a private garden from no more than two households;
- Anyone living in these areas is asked to avoid unnecessary travel outside the restricted areas;
- Care homes and hospitals in these areas will be advised to significantly curtail visits as soon as practicable. One member of a family will be permitted a visit once a week while these localised restrictions apply. More frequent visits may be permitted in exceptional circumstances, including palliative care facilities and those receiving end of life care.
- Medically vulnerable and older people living in these areas are asked to be particularly careful in following the advice on limiting household contacts, social distancing, hand washing and wearing a face covering, given the local levels of Covid-19.