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Dr Alan Stout from the British Medical Association defended the UK's "seven day" isolation advice.

"The reason the isolation advice has changed is because the case definition has changed," he said.

“Previously we were looking at people coming from outside coming into the country - we weren’t sure of the transmission or behaviour.

"Someone with a cough or a fever in the early stages – what will happen is if people follow that advice we will isolate a lot of people who are not infected with COVID-19," he said.

But he added, that will be the "trade-off" to trying to control it.

“So the seven days is very much around an early cough or fever – within those seven days you will know if your clinical position is worsening and if you are then in a different position.

“The seven days in that context is quite sensible,” he adds.

Dr Stout also said it was right that NI should follow advice from the UK.

“We have strength in numbers - the UK has a history of being world leaders in terms of responding to health crises in particular.

“Going off on our own and trying to second guess or doubt the advice coming out of Westminster is going to be quite dangerous,” he added.

Dr Lindsay Broadbent also questioned the UK government’s advice that anyone with a "new, continuous" cough or high temperature should self-isolate for seven days.

She said she believed it could be to do with “political or economic reasons”.

“It is very confusing as up until now we have been told 14 days isolation," she said.

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“If someone does become sick in that seven-day isolation period, people can be infectious to others for an average of eight days, so why do we suddenly have a seven-day isolation period?"

“I think we need a minimum of 14 days,” she said.

Boris Johnson has said that he is following best medical advice.

Dr Lindsay Broadbent - a virologist at QUB told BBC's The View, that she believed Ireland's decision to close schools was "quite extreme".

"There isn’t the scientific evidence there for closing schools,” she said.

However she added that she agreed with the decision to stop all social events over certain sizes.

“In my opinion they have overreacted in some ways and got it quite right in others.”

She said closing schools would have knock-on effects: “Healthcare workers have children and they would need to find childcare," she said.

She told the programme that there are lessons to be learned from Italy.

“If Italy had acted faster they would have much fewer cases that they currently do," she said.

Dr Broadbent added that she believed that mass gatherings in the UK should “already have been halted".

The Premier League will hold "an emergency club meeting" on Friday to discuss future fixtures.

Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Simon Coveney has told RTÉ Prime Time his government will soon introduce ''new health interviews'' at Irish airports.

He said those arriving in Ireland would get health information and there will be a ''conversation around Covid-19''.

The Irish government's advice includes not travelling to Italy or Spain for all but essential travel.

However he added that the advice from the WHO is that ''we shouldn't be shutting down aviation between countries.''

Mr Coveney said there would be a lot more testing for coronavirus.

Mr Coveney added that Ireland's plans were in line with other EU countries.

''It is the right time to introduce the measures'', he said, adding that, ''we will add to these measures if we need to''.

The UK government has not decided to close schools, but Mr Coveney said he believed his government's approach was correct.

BBC News NI's Kevin Sharkey tweets:

Ireland's chief medical officer Tony Holohan said "he recognises the differences" on the island of Ireland in the way governments are dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak.

The Republic of Ireland has closed schools, colleges and creches but authorities in Northern Ireland have not.

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Mr Holohan said: "We have assessed the situation from our point of view and we believe that closing schools is an important part of the strategy for the reasons of ultimately protecting older and vulnerable people from schoolchildren who may not be significantly affected in terms of the illness.

Hockey Ireland says it is suspending all hockey activity until the 29 March and has advised clubs and schools to do the same.

In a statement, the body added the move would not apply to the senior women's team, which is preparing for the Tokyo Olympics.

Image source, Inpho

Irish Hockey says "as the situation is changing very quickly" it will follow developments and issue further information closer to 29 March.

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French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that schools across the country would close from Monday.

In an address on Thursday, Mr Macron also said businesses would be asked to allow staff to work from home. He urged people over 70 and those with health issues to stay at home.

Public transport would remain operating, he added.

Nick Triggle
Health Correspondent

What is the UK now doing about coronavirus?

The UK government is attempting to delay the spread of coronavirus and reduce the epidemic's peak (when the number of cases is highest).

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It says that from Friday:

• All people with flu-like symptoms - a fever above 37.8 C or a persistent cough - shouldself-isolate (stay at home, away from other people) for seven days
• Schools should not take trips abroad
• Older people and those with pre-existing health conditions should avoid cruises

Read more here.