Dear reader, The news last night that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had been admitted to intensive care after his coronavirus symptoms worsened has undoubtedly caused shockwaves across the country. The thoughts and prayers of everyone at the News Letter, and indeed all of our readers, are with the prime minister and we hope to see him back leading the government in Downing Street soon. In Northern Ireland, it’s good to see more progress in the battle against Covid-19, as an MoT centre in Belfast was transformed into a drive-through testing facility. Initiatives like this can only be a help as the authorities look to significantly increase the number of tests being carried out in the Province. Of course, this virus is no respecter of borders, and it was also encouraging to learn today that the Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland administrations have signed a memo formalising their co-operation in the battle against coronavirus. Alistair Bushe Editor |