The COVID-19 pandemic reached Northern Ireland in February 2020. The Department of Health reports 3,445 deaths overall among people who had recently tested positive. The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency reports 5,444 where the death certificate mentioned COVID as one possible cause (see Statistics). Northern Ireland has the lowest COVID death rate per population in the United Kingdom. The vast majority of deaths have been among those over the age of 60 and almost half were in care homes. According to figures, over 1 in 10 of over 5,400 who have passed have been under 65.
On 23 March 2020, Northern Ireland went into lockdown with the rest of the UK. A stay-at-home order banned "non-essential" travel and contact with others, and schools, businesses, venues, amenities and places of worship were shut. Major events such as Saint Patrick's Day were cancelled. A lengthy lockdown was forecast to severely damage the economy and lead to a large rise in unemployment. The health service worked to raise hospital capacity. In mid-April, Department of Health modeling indicated the health service in Northern Ireland could cope with the expected peak in cases. On 21 April, Northern Ireland's chief scientific advisor said the curve of new cases had flattened, and the peak had passed.
The lockdown was gradually lifted in June–July, as infection and death rates dropped. Schools remained closed for summer break, but re-opened in September. The infection rate (or positivity rate) rose again that month and restrictions were re-imposed. On 16 October, Northern Ireland went into an eight-week lockdown, although schools remained open, and some restrictions were eased for one week. The lockdown was mostly lifted on 11 December. Following a brief easing of restrictions at Christmas, another lockdown was imposed on 26 December, including schools, as the positivity rate rose sharply. A mass vaccination program began, and the infection rate fell in early 2021. Schools re-opened in March, and the lockdown was gradually lifted from late April. In December, proof of vaccination or non-infection became mandatory to enter indoor venues.
Timeline
Health care in the United Kingdom is devolved, with England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales each having their own publicly funded healthcare systems, funded by devolved block grants via the Barnett formula and accountable to separate governments and parliaments, together with smaller private sector and voluntary provision. As a result of each country having different policies and priorities, differences now exist between these systems.
First wave and national lockdown (March–May 2020) The HSC began testing for COVID-19 during February 2020, as of 19 February there were 35 completed tests all of which returned negative results. On 27 February, the HSC confirmed that the first presumptive case had been discovered in Northern Ireland in a woman who had returned from Italy, the case was sent to the Public Health England reference laboratory where it was confirmed as Northern Ireland's first case on 29 February. Cases continued to rise throughout early March with cases rising to seven by the end of the first week.
On 9 March Belfast City Council voted to cancel the annual St Patrick's Day parade in the city. By the end of the second week the HSC started to advise people showing symptoms to isolate for seven days, cases had also jumped to 45 by 15 March. On St Patrick's Day, parades across all of Northern Ireland had been cancelled as cases reached 52.
On 19 March, Northern Ireland recorded its first death from COVID-19, with cases reaching 77. Reacting to the news, First Minister Arlene Foster said "This is a sad day for Northern Ireland. Our thoughts and prayers are first and foremost with the family and friends of the patient who has died. And we are immeasurably grateful to our health service staff who cared for this person. This is not unexpected news. We knew that this pandemic would inevitably cost precious lives. We cannot stop it. But it is incumbent on all of us to do whatever we can to slow its spread and shield those most vulnerable from the effects of this virus." On 22 March, a second person died from COVID-19, with cases rising to 128.
On 20 March, the UK Government announced measures to further tackle the spread of the virus which included closing bars, restaurants, gyms and many other social venues.