Derry public transport users have been reminded of the importance of wearing a face mask when traveling.

Even though recent figures in Derry and the rest of the North have shown declining rates of people infected with Covid-19, events elsewhere have prompted the executive to urge people to be vigilant against the virus.

Austria has entered a period of containment while the measure to implement it is being discussed in Germany.

Department of Health figures from the start of this week show the Derry and Strabane council area saw the seven-day Covid-19 rate drop to 472.6 cases per 100,000 – from 480.6 and still the lowest figure in the North.

Rates have fallen in all communal areas in Northern Ireland, with 29,189 people in Derry and Strabane testing positive for the virus.

Derry’s vaccination rate stands at 201,354 people receiving their vaccine while Altnagelvin Hospital has not recorded any Covid-19 admissions in the past seven days.

However, given how the pandemic originally spread from the first reported cases in China, events on mainland Europe have raised concerns and residents of Derry and the North – especially those using public transport – were advised not to be complacent.

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon said: “Covid-19 has not gone away and although our public transport operators have put many measures in place to ensure the safety of our public transport network, we must all remain vigilant and continue to play our role in preventing the spread of Covid-19.

“This includes complying with the face covering regulation by wearing a face covering and following the advice of public transport operators. Compliance rates with mandatory face covering requirements on public transport have remained high throughout this pandemic, but we must redouble our efforts to protect vulnerable people and ourselves and to protect our health services .

“The evidence provided by healthcare professionals is clear, you can reduce the risk of spreading the virus by wearing a face covering. Exemptions are in place for those who cannot wear face coverings, but I urge anyone who can to comply with the requirements. I also urge people to wash and sanitize their hands regularly.

“All of these measures can make a difference and help us reduce the rates of transmission of Covid-19, protecting our citizens, our businesses and our health service throughout this winter. “

Earlier this week, Foyle MP Colum Eastwood urged the executive to take firm action and make the tough decisions to ensure Derry and the North do not face the rising Covid rates that the currently known in Austria.

The SDLP chief said: “The message we are hearing from health service officials has been clear for months.

“Without urgent intervention, our hospitals will be overwhelmed and people will die needlessly. The challenge we face couldn’t be more difficult.

“The SDLP was deeply frustrated by the slow response to a very predictable winter surge situation.

“Months ago we proposed additional measures that could have alleviated the pressure on critical services, but were rejected.

“We are now in a difficult situation and the Executive Modeling suggests we could be in an even worse situation in a few weeks.

“There is no space for political leaders to avoid the tough decisions that need to be made now.

“Firm action at this time is the only way to protect lives and livelihoods in the weeks to come.

“It means clear communication from political leaders, refusing to give in to opponents and those who reject medical evidence, and clear explanations of what will happen next.

“We must also see an intensification of the recall program. The effectiveness of the vaccination program is indisputable.

We need to renew the immunity of those who have been vaccinated and extend it to as many people as possible as quickly as possible.

“We need to laser focus on the goals of saving our health care service and protecting our economy.

“The hard truth is that no one has come up with an alternative to the measures we have proposed, because the only other way is to reintroduce severe restrictions that would devastate people and businesses.

“We have done everything in our power to avoid this because I don’t think our economy or our communities could face a return to foreclosure.

“It’s a moment of action. No one can be found lacking.

The executive, meanwhile, issued a statement urging people to get vaccinated if they haven’t already, work from home if possible, and wear masks in public places.

In the statement, the executive said: “The clear opinion of public health experts is that intervention is now required.

“Our people – individuals, families, communities and businesses – have been through so much during this pandemic. Our collective goal is to reduce the pressure on our hospitals, while allowing our society and our economy to remain open as completely and safely as possible.

“This means that we must all take action to avoid a worsening of the situation that would potentially require tougher action.

“Please take the vaccine, including the booster, when offered. The evidence for the benefits of vaccination is unequivocal. And the statistics are glaring.

“Unvaccinated adults under the age of 50 are almost 11 times more likely to need hospitalization due to Covid-19. Unvaccinated people aged 50 and over are four times more likely to die from Covid-19 than those who are fully vaccinated.

“We’re also reinforcing the message that people should work from home whenever possible. More people working from home will help reduce the risk of transmission inside and outside the workplace.

“We recognize that this can present challenges in certain areas of work and ask employees to work from home where they can, and advise employers to support this where possible.

“We understand how difficult this situation is for everyone and will be stepping up our public information campaign to encourage everyone to continue to follow the advice.

“None of us wanted to be in this position, but this pandemic is unpredictable and it continues to pose a threat.

“We have the opportunity to make a difference by working together to keep our society open and protect health care services.

“Let’s do all we can to make sure we stop the spread of Covid as Christmas approaches.”