Five Million and Stormont
The year began under the pressure of the Omicron wave. On 5 January, the Government described infection levels as exceptionally high, even as the booster campaign offered considerable protection against severe illness. The priority was to maintain schools, hospitals and essential services while daily routines remained constrained. That context makes the speed of the subsequent reopening more striking. From 6 a.m. on 22 January, capacity limits, early closing for hospitality, Covid passes for many venues and restrictions on nightclubs were removed. A phased return to workplaces followed. Mandatory mask rules in most remaining regulated settings ended on 28 February, although public-health advice continued to urge caution, especially around vulnerable people.