PM reveals plan to exit lockdown + NI vaccine rate is six times higher than in Republic of Ireland

Feb 22, 2021

Dear reader,

Boris Johnson has offered hope to millions of people in England as he outlined a roadmap to the easing of coronavirus restrictions in the House of Commons on Monday.

The prime minister confirmed that all schools in England will open on Monday, March 8, a move that is in sharp contrast to the ongoing situation in Northern Ireland where only primary school children in P1-P3 will return on the same date.

There is currently no confirmed date for the return of all schools here, with it likely to be well into April at least before this happens.

The lack of clarity on education has got to be a real concern for parents and their children and the Stormont Executive’s strategy has been lambasted by high profile figures like Sammy Wilson of the DUP and Jim Allister of the TUV.

Dire warnings have also been issued about Northern Ireland’s economy, with Christopher Stalford, a DUP MLA, today describing the Province as “one of the most locked down places in the world”.

The latest Department of Health statistics show that four people with Covid-19 died over the last 24 hours, while 187 people tested positive.

Alistair Bushe,

Editor

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