Image source, Pacemaker

This morning we brought you the news that today was the day caravan parks across Northern Ireland would throw open their gates once more.

Just a few hours later Gary McConnell had already arrived at Sunnyholme Caravan Park in Newcastle and was busy cutting the grass around his van.

While Caiden Jordan sat back and took it easy as his dad Alan did all the hard work.

Image source, Pacemaker

If you're headed away this weekend we hope you avoid the rain showers.

Please join us again on Monday morning for our live coverage.

Goodbye.

Louise Cullen
BBC News NI

The Department of Health is developing guidance for healthcare staff concerned about any potential impact a positive Covid-19 antibody test may have on their insurance applications.

Staff in NI's five health trusts are being offered antibody testing, or will be offered it soon.

About 28% of staff in the Belfast Trust have taken up the opportunity.

Six percent in the Northern Trust have been tested, along with nearly 17% in the Southern Trust.

The Western Trust is in the final stages of preparing to offer antibody screening and the South Eastern Trust is not yet offering it.

The British Medical Association (BMA) says it was made aware that some doctors were encountering difficulty when making or reviewing insurance or income protection policies.

It has issued a joint statement with the Association of British Insurers to say that healthcare workers “should not suffer additional barriers” when applying for insurance policies.

Image source, PA Media

“Naturally many are keen to find out if they have had Covid-19, given that many of them were treating patients with it," said Dr Tom Black, chair of the BMA in NI.

“There should be absolutely no detrimental financial effect to them undergoing this test.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said guidance is being developed for HSC employees, "but in the meantime the department is encouraged by the statement from the Association of British Insurers that there should be no detriment to healthcare workers and no one should be discouraged from having a test".

Concerns have been raised about the usefulness of antibody tests, being offered to staff in England.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced there have been no deaths from confirmed cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours.

This was the first time the figure had been zero on a weekday since 20 March.

Ms Sturgeon said the statistic was "really significant" and she believes the country is "not far away" from eliminating the virus.

However, she has warned against complacency because the virus "has not yet gone away" and is "on the rise again" in some other countries.

Read more on this story here.

Image source, Reuters

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Tony Bjourson, Professor of Genomics at Ulster University School of Biomedical Sciences, says he does not believe a second wave of coronavirus is "inevitable".

He told BBC News NI he does not think you can "generalise for every region of the world" and that it is "only inevitable if certain events happen and some of the events are outside the control of individual nations and some countries".

"I think there will be significant upsurges as you’re seeing in various countries around the world, but I don’t think there’s one rule that will apply globally," he added.

"I think where we can test and test and test and contact trace people and contain the people that are infected, then that can keep a lid on it.

"If there is a vaccine then developed and that vaccine is effective and has sufficiently long protection, then that can be rolled out and we can be vaccinated.

"That can prevent and shut down a pandemic, but the jury’s still out on the effectiveness of a vaccine.”

From golden oldies to British rom coms, a glut of favourite movies will be enticing film lovers back to cinemas when they reopen after lockdown.

As well as observing strict new social distancing rules, cinema bosses are preparing to show classics of the big screen as they wait for the film industry to provide new releases put on hold because of the pandemic.

The BBC's Lizo Mzimba takes a front row, socially distanced, seat at the cinema.

Libraries NI has asked customers to return borrowed items to their local library in advance of reopening, "due to the very high number of books borrowed before lockdown".

An indicative date for libraries to reopen from 16 July was announced yesterday.

Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín says current restrictions on libraries will be relaxed to allow their reopening "in a manner which maximises safety for the public and staff".

She praised Libraries NI for their "hard work during lockdown" to deliver a range of services to their customers", with a "substantial take-up" of online services.

“However, some people are not able, or do not wish to access online services," she added.

"These customers are often amongst those who are most socially isolated in society.

"The reopening of libraries, which are a key part of our social fabric, will help these individuals and improve their lives by creating a sense of returning to a new normal."

The 2020 All-Ireland Football Championship will be a knockout competition, with the final scheduled for 19 December.

The Championship was last played in a straight knockout format in 2000.

All games will be finished on the day, with penalties if required, including provincial and All-Ireland finals.

Image source, Inpho

The inter-county season is to recommence on 17 October when the final two remaining rounds of the Football League will be played.

There will be no Football League finals played in 2020.

Read more.

The Department of Health reports there have been 26 new positive Covid-19 cases in the past seven days, with four being confirmed in the past 24 hours.

Overall, 130,796 tests have been carried out on 106,374 people, resulting in 5,748 positive results since the start of the pandemic.

Image source, PA Media

These figures incorporate both health and social care trust testing as well as those examined by national laboratories.

The head of Catholic Church in Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin has expressed his happiness at the return of church services from next week.

"It is particularly helpful that parishes in cross-border communities will be able to plan together for a safe return to mass around the same time," he said.

"I have been heartened by the amount of preparation which is already ongoing in our parishes to ensure that our sacred spaces will be as safe as possible when we begin to gather again together in prayer."

While he welcomed the announcement, Archbishop Martin said he expected it to begin "in a cautious way at first".

He commended priests for reaching out to parishioners "in very difficult circumstances during the lockdown which included the broadcasting of mass and other prayer opportunities by webcam".

"Sadly the pandemic has brought great hardship to many families whose loved ones have died because of the virus."

One new coronavirus-related death has been recorded by Northern Ireland’s Department of Health in the last 24 hours meaning its death toll rises to 548.

The department’s daily figures are mostly comprised of hospital deaths and where a patient had previously tested positive for the virus.

Image source, AFP

An aviation expert has reminded people that travel insurance will be invalid while the government continues to recommend "essential travel only".

Julian Bray said air travel was a "very confusing" subject as discussion moves to changes in the two-week quarantine rule.

Currently those who return to the UK from holiday abroad face 14 days quarantine.

"There is talk that it is going to change, we are going to have air corridors and air bridges which basically means the destination and departure countries have the same policy, either they both have quarantine or they don't have quarantine," he told Talkback.

Mr Bray says he has "given up all hopes of having a holiday until spring next year".

"I wouldn't want to go into an airport at the moment and I wouldn't want to go on a plane at the moment," he said.

Continuing on Talkback, Dr Lindsay Broadbent said now might be the best time to go to a restaurant. if the right safety measures are in place.

Northern Ireland's hotels, bars, restaurants and cafes can reopen from 3 July.

When asked if she would be comfortable eating in a restaurant, the Queen's University virologist said there was currently a slim chance of coming into contact with somebody with the virus in Northern Ireland due to the low rate of infection.

"I would probably suggest the next few weeks are going to be the safest time to go to a restaurant," she said.

"We think the numbers may increase when it starts to get colder and we are edging into winter.

"If the right measures are in place and you feel safe and you feel comfortable go out an enjoy a meal."

During the same discussion, restaurateur Michael Deane said one of his restaurants had had 3,500 enquiries for tables.

"People have been locked up for four months, I don't think we can keep them locked up any longer," he said.

One metre, two metres, no metres? The debate around social distancing has been rumbling on, with changes in how far we have to stay away from each other continuing to dominate the discussion.

In Northern Ireland, we're moving to one metre after the Stormont Executive agreed to reduce it from two metres from Monday.

On Talkback, a Queen's University virologist has warned that "nothing is safe" when it comes to distancing measures.

Dr Lindsay Broadbent confirmed one metre meets the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines and that it does "significantly reduce your risk of becoming infected".

But she added that there is "up to 10 times the risk [of infection] at one metre than there is at two metres".

She encouraged people to maintain a two-metre distance where possible.

"As businesses open up two metres isn't going to be feasible for everybody," she added.

She said safety measures such as good ventilation, hand washing and disinfection "become even more important" when the one metre rule is introduced.

One of the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic has been the massive reduction in global air travel. In April it was down 95% compared with last year.

Some airlines grounded their entire fleets, while others focused on cargo flights, in an effort to help keep supply chains functioning and make what money they could.

Now, however, many carriers which had suspended operations are starting to return to the skies. EasyJet began offering a limited number of services earlier this month, for example. Ryanair has done the same - and says it wants to reintroduce 40% of its schedule from July. Air France and Lufthansa have also begun offering a bare-bones schedule. All are hoping to ramp up services as demand returns.

Image source, PA Media

In the UK, the situation has been complicated by the introduction of controversial quarantine rules on 8 June- which currently force passengers to isolate themselves for two weeks after arriving in the country.

But the government is widely expected to set up a number of "air bridges" or "travel corridors", which will allow people to travel from countries seen as being a low infection risk, where the quarantine rules will not apply.

This could allow people to travel to popular holiday destinations this summer. But can they fly safely, or will they be at risk of infection?

You can find out more here.

Yvonne McWhirter is among many caravan owners heading away this weekend after parks were given the go ahead to reopen.

She's was delighted to be returning and reassured by steps taken by her own caravan park in Portush to protect visitors.

Image source, Reuters

As a nurse, Yvonne said she would be naturally cautious but added that some coronavirus measures come easily.

"When I go to my caravan I go to socially distance, I go there to chill out," she told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme.

"I will be looking after myself and my family, but I don't think there's any reason for caravan parks not to be open,

"It's all about personal responsibility as well as the caravan park owners looking after us.

"There's going to be social distancing, there will be cleaning of all the public areas, you have to wash your hands."

John Campbell
BBC News NI Economics and Business Editor

Image source, Press Eye

The industrial sensor manufacturer Sensata Technologies is planning to make 160 redundancies at its Antrim site.

It says the move is in response to a significant drop in market demand due to the pandemic.

Earlier this year the firm said it would close its Carrickfergus factory with the loss of 270 jobs.That factory will wind down on a phased basis and fully close by early 2021.

The company currently has just over 1000 staff in Northern Ireland making tyre pressure sensors.

Eric Sorret, vice president at Sensata Technologies, said it had become clear that the effects of the pandemic will "have a profound and lasting impact on the demand for direct tyre pressure monitoring systems".

Louise Cullen
BBC News NI

The charity Women’s Aid has been given an additional £60,000 to provide care packages for families who have experienced or been a victim of domestic abuse.

Health Minister Robin Swann said lockdown had been difficult for those affected by domestic abuse.

The initial care packages will include food parcels, as well as games and resources for families, such as laptops and mobile phones.

Image source, PA

Temporary accommodation has been increased for victims of domestic abuse and the Communities Minister Carál NíChuilín said additional funding had also been provided for refugees.

The free, 24-hour Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline is 0808 802 1414.

If someone is in immediate danger, they should phone the police on 999 and use the “silent solution” option of pressing 55 if it is not safe to talk.

The latest Nisra figures also break down of all Covid-19 related deaths by council area.

Of the 11 councils, Belfast has recorded the most deaths, 238, while Fermanagh and Omagh has registered the fewest at 16.

Meanwhile, the total number of NI-registered deaths last week (290) was just above the average five-year rate (286).

That five-year death rate is used to compare the number of weekly deaths that would normally be recorded at this time of year.

Image source, AFP

Nisra also said there had been 975 "excess deaths" registered in Northern Ireland in the previous 12 weeks.

Their measure captures all deaths linked to coronavirus - those involving confirmed infections which feature in the health department's daily figures, as well as the suspected cases in which coronavirus is mentioned on the death certificate.

Some will be unrecorded Covid-19 deaths, but others may be the result of the strain on healthcare systems and a variety of other factors.

Of the 816 deaths recorded by 19 June where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate, 420 (51.5%) occurred in hospital; 340 (41.7%) occurred in care homes and eight (1%) occurred in hospices.

The weekly figures from the NI Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) said residential addresses or another location were recorded as being the site of 48 deaths (5.9%).

The deaths in care homes and hospices involved 78 separate establishments, Nisra reported.

However, Nisra figures also show that people who live in care homes have accounted for about half (50.7%) of Covid-linked deaths in Northern Ireland.

Of those deaths, 340 (82.1%) occurred in a care home, but 74 people whose usual address was in a care home died in hospital.

People aged over 75 accounted for almost 80% of all Covid-19 related deaths in Northern Ireland.

Sam Conley, a personal trainer in the north west, says he is “absolutely delighted" that gyms can reopen from 10 July.

“It was quite an emotional day to be honest with you,” he told BBC Radio Foyle.

It’s made him feel like “a child on Christmas morning”.

“And I have some very emotional clients messaging me, telephoning me over the last 12 hours. It’s just been fantastic,” he says.

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He says for many people going to the gym is as much about mental health as physical.

“It’s their one release, and we underplay this sometimes, we have all had very stressful lives leading up to this.

"So many people relied 100% on their gym as a release for that,” he says.