Sion Swifts Ladies urge public to stick to Covid restrictions in online video

Sion Swifts Ladies Football Club have joined forces with Derry City and Strabane District Council to produce a public health video to encourage the public to hold firm with the restrictions to reduce the spread of Covid 19.

There are concerns that the upcoming holidays, longer evenings and public fatigue with the Stay at Home message could lead to a spike in cases locally in the coming weeks.

The video was co-ordinated by Sion Swifts Public Relations Officer Tony McGinley and featured five players from the club's thriving underage setup as well as senior club captain Tasmin McCarter.

"The senior team are classified as elite and have begun training for the resumption of the NIFL Season but it has been tough on the underage players at the club who have missed the buzz of training and playing," said Tony.

"They all understand why we have to make these sacrifices however to protect the public's health and to prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed by a surge in cases.

"The roll out of the vaccine across the Council area has offered us a hope of some return to normality later this year and we wanted to make this video to encourage the public to give it one last push to get there."

The video was made at the request of Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Brian Tierney.

"I would like to sincerely thank the players from Sion Swifts Ladies for their support in making this video which carries a critical message," he said.

"It has been hard on everyone and I completely understand how people could be tempted to let their guard down and spend time in their families' homes in the coming weeks.

 "As we saw at Christmas, the impact of different households mixing indoors can have a hugely detrimental impact on case numbers which in turn could pressurise our health service and leave the most vulnerable in our community exposed to the harmful effect of the virus.

"That is why we are appealing to people to stick to the restrictions, we are within touching distance of a return to some normality so please keep it going."

Under the current restrictions laid out by the Northern Ireland Executive, households are not allowed to mix indoors in private homes.

You can can form one bubble with one other household, the two households in the bubble can be of any size however indoor meetings between households in the bubble are limited to a maximum of 10 people, including children, at any one time.

Up to six people (including children of all ages) from a maximum of two households can meet outdoors, or in non-domestic indoor settings for a permitted reason.

From 8 March, up to 10 people from two households can meet outdoors.

You should maintain social distancing by being at least two metres apart, as well as good hand and respiratory hygiene practices.

You may not organise, operate or take part in an indoor or outdoor gathering which consists of more than six people.
The Sion Swifts video can be viewed now on the Mayor's Facebook page.