Misinformation on virus is an insult to our health workers and those who died, chief medical officer warns

A family of seven has been split between Fermanagh and London after the Covid travel restrictions scuppered their festive get-together in Enniskillen.

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Subscribe              Dec 22, 2020           Dear reader,   Northern Ireland's chief medical officer has made a renewed appeal around "misinformation" relating to the coronavirus pandemic.   Dr Michael McBride said comments on social media, inaccurate stories and baseless conspiracy theories were undermining efforts to tackle Covid-19 and were an insult to health workers and those who have died.    Stormont's health minister Robin Swann has expressed concern that Northern Ireland was turned into a "funnel" for people travelling to the Irish Republic from Britain, after Ireland imposed a flight ban.    Robin Swann said the Irish Government did not give the Stormont executive advance notice of the prohibition and suggested ministers could have taken measures to address the increase in passengers if they had known.   The minister spoke out as Michelle O'Neill, the deputy first minister, called for an all-Ireland travel ban which would see no flights coming into the island ofIreland.    Another 16 deaths related to Covid-19 were announced by the Department of Health on Tuesday. The new data released also revealed that another 439 infections have been detected over the last 24 hours.    Alistair Bushe, Editor   Thanks for your support for our journalism this year. If you haven't already, then please consider taking out a digital subscription with us from just £1 a month. And we are offering 20% off if you get someone a subscription as a gift this Christmas. Just use the code CHRISTGIFT20 - find out more here.           NI family torn in two by Covid lockdown measures           A family of seven has been split between Fermanagh and London after the Covid travel restrictions scuppered their festive get-together in Enniskillen.                 Van Morrison launches another attack on Stormont ministers   Sir Van Morrision has continued his ongoing spat with Stormont ministers over the Covid pandemic with a scathing social media message.           Dr Michael McBride: People are spreading dangerous untruths - it is an insult to our healthcare workers   The spreading of misinformation around the pandemic is an insult to health workers and those who died, the chief medical officer has said.           Opinion: Stormont politicians have subcontracted Covid decisions to health officials, which is a dereliction of leadership   A letter by Adrian Lonergan:           All 16 Covid related deaths in last 24 hours were aged 80 or older   Thirteen females and three males aged 80 or older have been recorded as Covid-19 related in the last 24 hours.           MORNING VIEW: It would be wrong to stop flights into Northern Ireland and wrong not to reopen schools after Christmas   Of the possible Covid measures that have been on the agenda over the last 48 hours, perhaps the most important relate to transport and schools.           Heartwarming Northern Ireland kindness amid the pain of separation   There has been an outpouring of kindness amid the chaos of the draconian Covid-19 travel restrictions, some Northern Ireland families have found.                 View more news

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