Sammy Wilson questions scientific eviden ce and accuses pro-maskers of ‘blackmail’

Dear reader
With the clock ticking on the return to schools in Northern Ireland, pressure is mounting on Education Minister Peter Weir.
Mr Weir’s party colleague Carla Lockhart has added to comments from both the SDLP and Sinn Fein who have asked for clarity about the return of schools from August 24.
Encouragingly, Mr Weir confirmed in the Assembly that a return to “full-time” schooling is on course for September. This should be welcomed by parents of children across the Province, who have been deprived of classroom time since March.
Northern Ireland has recorded a 16th day without a death related to Covid-19. The death toll in Northern Ireland related to coronavirus remains at 556.

In addition another nine positive tests for the virus were recorded over the previous 24 hours.
Almost 140,000 people have so far been tested for the virus in Northern Ireland with 5,930 found positive. Five people are in hospital and two in intensive care. There are five care homes dealing with an outbreak.
Stay safe
Alistair Bushe

Editor

Want total access to all of our online content? You can subscribe to our website, newsletter.co.uk for just £1 a month for 3 months - and it couldn't be easier.

Signing up will get you faster-loading articles, fewer adverts and access to exclusive content and events when we run them. To learn more, visit our Subscriptions page here.