Reopening of NI schools 'should be given highest priority' says MP

Feb 8, 2021

Dear reader,

There is an increasing feeling that we are starting to turn a corner in the battle against Covid-19 right across the United Kingdom.

Northern Ireland passed the 300,000 milestone for vaccinations on Friday and today the Public Health Agency released details of one of our most famous sportspeople, Dame Mary Peters, receiving her vaccine.

It’s absolutely crucial to the fight against Covid-19 that as many people as possible take the vaccine, and 81-year-old Dame Mary was keen to emphasise that getting the jab was “the easiest thing”.

It was sad to learn that another 11 people with the virus have died in Northern Ireland, although the number of new cases of Covid-19 was the lowest in several months at 293 over the last hours.

It remains to be seen what the success of the vaccination programme and the falling number of cases mean for the reopening of Northern Ireland’s schools. Carla Lockhart, the Upper Bann MP, has called for the reopening of schools to be the “highest priority” at the Stormont Executive next week.

Alistair Bushe

Editor

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