Northern Ireland extends lockdown until EASTER with staggered schools return as Boris Johnson finalises roadmap

NORTHERN Ireland has agreed to extend its lockdown until Easter and will stagger the reopening of schools.

The Stormont executive today agreed to prolong the country's current lockdown to April 1, with a review of the measures expected on March 18.

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The country's restrictions had been due to lapse on March 5.

Now, primary school pupils in year groups P1 to P3 will return to face-to-face learning on March 8.

Only vulnerable children and those of key workers have been in classrooms since January.

On March 22, secondary pupils in key exam years - year groups 12 to 14 - will return to school.

It is understood P1-P3 pupils will revert to remote learning for a week on that date - for the week prior to the Easter holidays - to minimise the impact on infection rates of years 12-14 returning.

No decisions have been taken on whether other year groups will return to class after the Easter holidays.

Since Christmas, people in Northern Ireland have only been able to leave home for essential purposes such as work or exercise.

But at Thursday's Executive meeting, ministers agreed to make relaxations to allow "click and collect" shopping from some outlets previously categorised as non-essential retailers.

From March 8, click and collect will be permitted for shops selling baby equipment, clothing and footwear, and electrical goods.

Ministers are expected to formally confirm the decisions at a press conference later on Thursday.

The decision to extend the main lockdown restrictions to April 1 will be subject to a review on March 18.

It comes as Boris Johnson prepares his "Roadmap to Recovery" set to be revealed in England on Monday.

Mr Johnson will be handed a dossier of data to help him decide the speed of his roadmap out of lockdown.

The PM will use the numbers to shape his official plan to ease lockdown, to be published on Monday.

Mr Johnson yesterday vowed to be driven by data not dates in his “cautious and prudent” lifting of Covid restrictions, starting on March 8 with reopening schools.

But The Sun understands the document will also mention other specific dates as the earliest possible opportunity for shops and pubs to reopen if cases continue to fall and vaccinations lead to a decline in deaths.