Michael Cousins Acting Managing Editor

Good afternoon from the News Letter

In Coronavirus news today

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has called for a change in policy that would allow only fully vaccinated people into hospitality and entertainment venues. The MP has written to First and Deputy First Ministers Paul Givan and Michelle O’Neill proposing a significant change to the Executive’s approach to the vaccination programme and managing the Covid response in light of what he expects to be a difficult winter period.

A new drug is available for hospitalised patients with COVID-19 from this week. Ronapreve is a combines two “neutralising monoclonal antibodies” (nMABs) called Casirivimab and Imdevimab. It is the first neutralising antibody medicine specifically designed to treat Covid-19 to be authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for use in the UK.

In other news:

A DUP MP has described a decision by senior judges today to affirm the right to abort Down’s Syndrome babies up to term as “brutal and cold”.  Carla Lockhart was responding to the ruling against disability campaigner Heidi Crowter, who had taken the case in the High Court in England to challenge the right to abort such children even nine months into a pregnancy. Mrs Lockhart said: “This is a very sad day for our nation.

Northern Ireland consumers could soon see shelves empty of ham, bacon and pork sausages because Westminster is steadfastly refusing to take any action over the critical need for 300 foreign workers, an industry spokeswoman has said.

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Tim McGarry: Ulster’s 100th birthday bash nearly as low key as Prince Andrew’s 60th.
There are certain phrases that can instantly strike terror in to the hearts of all right-thinking men.