Majority of Mid Ulster Council services continue following new restrictions

In line with the new measures:

· Gyms will remain open in the Council’s leisure centres (Cookstown Leisure Centre, Dungannon Leisure Centre, Gortgonis Centre, Greenvale Leisure Centre, Maghera Leisure Centre, Meadowbank Sports Arena and Mid Ulster Sports Arena). There will, however, be no group exercise classes.

· Swimming pools will remain open for individual swimming only, with lessons temporarily suspended.

· Burials will be limited to 25 people.

· From Monday October 19, wedding ceremonies and civil partnerships will be limited to 25 people.

Chair of the Council, Councillor Cathal Mallaghan, said: “We all welcomed the gradual opening up of our services, facilities and our local economy, and while it is regrettable that we now need to reduce some of them once again, this is the only responsible course of action to protect lives.

“As we begin another period of time where we must curtail our social interaction and contact with family and friends, I would urge the people of Mid Ulster to once again follow the rules for the benefit of themselves, their loved ones and their wider community.

“I cannot emphasise enough that the action we take now will make a real difference to the spread of the virus and, crucially, to the burden which our health and social care workers are already carrying”.

All the restrictions are in place from today, Friday, for a period of four weeks.