DUP MP Carla Lockhart calls for sport to reopen for mental health

A DUP MP has called on the Stormont Executive and health minister to allow sport to reopen in light of mental health concerns during the pandemic.
All but elite sports are currently banned in Northern Ireland.All but elite sports are currently banned in Northern Ireland.
All but elite sports are currently banned in Northern Ireland.

All sport across Northern Ireland has been closed until December 10 to clamp down on Covid spreading. The only exceptions are elite sport, individual exercise and school PE.

But Carla Lockhart, MP for Upper Bann, has now made a public appeal for all sport to reopen.

“I have written to the Executive particularly the health minister asking for gyms and sport to be considered as ‘essential’,” she said on her Facebook page.

“The amount of people who have contacted me about their mental health being affected by this pandemic is scary and it is time for the health minister to work closely with gyms and sporting organisations to have them reopened safely!”

She said many gyms and football teams had contacted her. Last night there were over 200 comments on her Facebook apparently unanimously supporting her.

However, a Department of Health spokesman said that the restrictions were essential. Yesterday NI had 414 Covid inpatients, 34 of whom were in ICU.

“The current restrictions were introduced by the Executive to push down Covid infection rates,” he said. “We are asking everyone to stay at home as much as possible. This is about saving lives and stopping our health service being overwhelmed. It is that important.

“If we maximise the impact of the next two weeks and decisively reduce the prevalence of the virus, we can enjoy a better Christmas.”

He added that the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Michael McBride, is on record as saying that Northern Ireland has had “a number of outbreaks and some sizeable outbreaks associated with gyms, despite all of the best efforts of people using them and gym owners”.

He added: “During this two-week period, I would encourage people to take physical activity because it’s important not just for physical health but also for mental health.”

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