NI schools are NOT closing early for Christmas holidays - Education Minister Peter Weir

Sammy Wilson's face mask MP's expenses claim 'made to keep constituency office covid secure', say DUP

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Subscribe              Nov 30, 2020           Dear reader Education Minister Peter Weir has moved to dispel continuing rumours that Northern Ireland's school may close early for Christmas.  The DUP MLA issued a statement on Monday afternoon, confirming that schools won't close a week early and that such a move would only cause "further disruption" to children's education.  Interestingly, Mr Weir also made the point that if schools did close early, there is the potential for large groups of children gathering to socialise and potentially creating a "major public health concern".  The daily coronavirus figures released by the Department of Health showed that 10 people have died having tested positive for Covid-19. However, the trend of falling new case numbers continued, with 290 new infections recorded.  It also emerged on Monday that each of Northern Ireland's health trusts are aiming to set up two mass sites each to innoculate health workers by mid-December The aim is a roll-out of the German-developed Pfizer-Biontech vaccine to around 75% of the 100,000 health staff in Northern Ireland before Christmas. There's still time to take advantage of our Black Friday offer. See fewer ads and get unlimited access to our news, opinion, and sport by taking out a new digital subscription from just 70p a month.   Enjoy your evening Alistair Bushe Editor           NI schools are NOT closing early for Christmas holidays - Education Minister Peter Weir           The Education Minister has cleared up any doubts in parents minds after weeks of speculation - Peter Weir has confirmed that schools are not closing early for Christmas holidays.                 MLA fights back tears as he recounts how NI nurses sang to dying man and held his hand as family say goodbye to their father and husband after battle with Covid-19   SDLP MLA for West Tyrone, Daniel McCrossan, fought back tears in the Assembly in Stormont this afternoon after he recounted nurses in Altnagelvin Area Hospital held the hand of a dying man and sang to him as his wife and three children said goodbye to him over the phone.           'Phone First' service for Antrim Hospital's emergency unit   A new 'Phone First' service is being rolled out for Antrim Area Hospital's Emergency Department from Tuesday December 1, starting at 10,00 am.           May McFettridge actor John Linehan reflects on TIA, Covid-19 and cancelled panto   Seeing May McFettridge in panto at the Grand Opera House has become something of a Christmas staple in Northern Ireland.           Death toll reaches 996 after 10 more people lose life - 290 new infections - 427 people in NI hospitals with virus and 36 in ICU - 131 casesin NI Care Homes   The latest Department of Health dashboard has revealed that another 10 people have died in NI after testing positive for COVID-19.           Sammy Wilson's face mask MP's expenses claim 'made to keep constituency office covid secure', say DUP   DUP MP Sammy Wilson's decision to claim £48 worth of face masks for MP's expenses was to provide the coverings to visitors and staff at his constituency office, his party has said.           Robin Swann slams DUP ministers Peter Weir and Diane Dodds for refusing to front Assembly debate on Covid laws   Robin Swann has criticised two DUP ministers for failing to field Assembly questions on amendments to coronavirus regulations.           Community chemists 'ready to play part' in NI vaccination programme   Hundreds of community chemists in Northern Ireland are ready to play an important role in the coronavirus vaccination programme, the industry said.                 View more on Coronavirus

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