NI records lowest daily Covid death toll since October

A warning from the chief medical officer that Covid restrictions will be with us throughout 2021 has prompted calls for a clear strategy to urgently "kickstart the economy".

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Subscribe              Feb 10, 2021           Dear reader Northern Ireland has recorded its lowest daily death toll related to coronavirus since October.  On Wednesday, the Department of Health announced that four people with Covid-19 had passed away in the previous 24-hour period.  However, it was also revealed that another 336 positive tests for Covid-19 were recorded over the last 24 hours, which amounts to a 22 per cent increase on the previous day.  Uncertainty continues to surround the reopening of schools here, with Education Minister Peter Weir appearing in front of the Stormont Education Committee on Wednesday morning.  While saying that schools should be ready to reopen by March 8, Mr Weir stressed that the matter would have to be agreed up by the Stormont Executive next week.  As a little gift for Valentine's Day, we're cutting our digital subscription prices by 20%. This offer is for a limited time only, so whether for yourself, or as a gift to someone special, be sure to snap up this offer before February 14.  Along with faster-loading articles, fewer adverts and access to exclusive content and events you can read all the news on your desktop with our new online digital edition. You can access the offer here   Existing Digital+ and Print/Digital+ subscribers can access the News Letter eReader at https://app.newsletter.co.uk         Alistair Bushe   Editor           Further Covid restrictions warning sparks call for NI economy kickstart           A warning from the chief medical officer that Covid restrictions will be with us throughout 2021 has prompted calls for a clear strategy to urgently "kickstart the economy".                 Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine could reduce Covid-19 viral load - what it means   New data gathered by researchers in Israel suggests that the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine is reducing the viral load of the virus.           NI records lowest daily Covid death toll since October but new infections up 22% in 24 hours   Northern Ireland has recorded its lowest daily death toll since October 2020, according to the latest data published by the Department of Health (DoH).           OPINION: Dr Michael McBride's ill-advised warning of year-long Covid restrictions has shattered optimism   The most shocking thing about Dr Michael McBride's comments to the media on Tuesday that lockdown restrictions will continue here for at least another year, was that they were so completely unexpected.           An estimated 75,000 nurses in the UK haven't received a first Covid jab   Thousands of nurses in the UK are yet to receive a first dose of a Covid vaccine, with less than a week to go until the Government's deadline to vaccinate all 15 million people in the top four vaccine priority groups.           New Covid jabs may not be needed if current vaccines stop severe disease - here's why   New Covid-19 vaccines may not be needed if the current jabs can prevent severe disease and keep people out of hospital, MPs have heard.           Reopening schools in coming weeks 'an ask too far' for 'exhausted' health staff, says NI CMO Dr Michael McBride   The reopening of schools — either partially or fully — would be an ask too far for "exhausted" health workers due to the risk of coronavirus spreading out of control again.                 View more news

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