Coronavirus Act 2020

Declaration of threat to public health in Northern Ireland due to coronavirus U.K.

X1 37 (1) If at any time the Executive Office is of the view that— U.K.

(a) the incidence or transmission of coronavirus constitutes a serious and imminent threat to public health in Northern Ireland, and

(b) the powers conferred by this Part of this Schedule will be an effective means of—

(i) preventing, protecting against, delaying or otherwise controlling the incidence or transmission of coronavirus in Northern Ireland, or

(ii) facilitating the most appropriate deployment of medical or emergency personnel and resources in Northern Ireland,

the Executive Office may make a declaration to that effect.

(2) If, having made a declaration under this paragraph, the Executive Office ceases to be of the view mentioned in sub-paragraph (1), the Executive Office must revoke the declaration.

(3) A declaration or the revocation of a declaration under this paragraph—

(a) is to be made by being published online, and

(b) must, as soon as reasonably practicable after it is made, also be published in the Belfast Gazette.

(4) Before making or revoking a declaration under this paragraph, the Executive Office must consult the Chief Medical Officer or any of the Deputy Chief Medical Officers of the Department of Health in Northern Ireland.

(5) The Executive Office may make a declaration under this paragraph on more than one occasion.

Editorial Information

X1 The exercise of the power to make or revoke a declaration conferred under this provision must also be notified by means of a notice published in The Gazette

38 U.K. In this Part of this Schedule—

• “Executive Office” means the Executive Office in Northern Ireland;

• “public health response period” means a period which—

  (a)

  begins when the Executive Office makes a declaration under paragraph 37(1), and

  (b)

  ends when the Executive Office revokes the declaration.