I believe it is important to recognise and pay tribute to the community spirit of the general public as COVID-19 restrictions are eased.
Without question, it is only thanks to the co-operation of the vast majority of our people that we have been able to lift some of the restrictions imposed by the pandemic.
Many people have had to make sacrifices in terms of staying away from their families, children and grandchildren or by staying indoors.
Many others, including thousands of volunteers, neighbours and community groups and organisations have facilitated those cocooning by offering practical and moral support, whether it was doing the shopping or just a phone call to say hello and check on how people are doing.
The public has shown its meitheal and this has played a crucial role in containing the virus and enabling life to open up again.
I welcome the fact that we have been able to accelerate the lifting of restrictions into four phases instead of five.
There is a delicate balance to be struck between our need to get the economy moving again and the imperative of ensuring the coronavirus is defeated.
We all still need to be vigilant around taking the proper precautions to avoid any reversal or delay in what we hope will be a resumption of our normal lives.
We may also have to adjust to a new “normal” but with the full co-operation of people observing social distancing, hand-washing and other measures, we will get there.
I fully support the new emphasis on staying local. This aligns both the key public health advice to avoid unnecessary travel and risk with essential support for our local business and services so that they can recover and we can enjoy the amenities we need within our own communities.