COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland
2020 CE.
Shown on the map at 54.683°, -6.750°.
The COVID-19 pandemic reached Northern Ireland in February 2020. Northern Ireland has the lowest COVID death rate per population in the United Kingdom. Covid statistics were very available at the start of the pandemic. The vast majority of deaths were among those over the age of 60 and almost half were in care homes. 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.
Text from the Wikipedia article COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.