Opinion

Let us all enjoy a safe St Patrick's Day

On St Patrick's Day last year we were only at the beginning of the long nightmare of Covid-19.

During that remarkable week we witnessed major developments, with events cancelled, pubs closing their doors - putting 'St Patrick's on pause' - and schools stopping classes on a voluntary basis before the executive announced a full shutdown.

Within days, of course, Boris Johnson imposed a complete lockdown and life as we knew it changed. In an ominous address, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar warned 'the storm is coming'.

It is sobering to think that on March 16, this newspaper reported 11 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total in Northern Ireland to 45. In the Republic, the total rose to 174.

Since then there have been 115,000 cases and sadly more than 2,000 deaths in the north. In the Republic, more than 4,500 people have died while England has seen 110,000 deaths.

We know much more than we did a year ago on how we can combat this virus and thankfully we have the vaccines which offer the best hope of a path out of the pandemic.

But infection rates are still high, the new variants much more transmissable and there is a very real risk that emerging from lockdown too fast could set us back. The worrying rise in cases in Europe should provide a warning to us all.

What we cannot do at this crucial juncture is squander the progress that has been made in driving down hospital cases and deaths during the past few difficult months.

The Stormont Executive and the chief medical officer are clearly concerned about St Patrick's Day celebrations.

In particular, warnings have been issued to young people with the principal of St Mary's University College in Belfast urging students to stay away from the Holylands, an area which traditionally attracts large numbers on March 17.

Police have had to break up gatherings in recent days while Queen's University and Ulster University have both suspended hundreds of students since last September for breaching health and safety rules. In the case of UU, three students have also been expelled.

It is important that institutions of further and higher education take a robust approach to those flouting the regulations.

The safety of everyone must be the primary consideration tomorrow while the residents of the Holylands also deserve enjoy a peaceful St Patrick's Day.