Steve McGookinWelcome to Northern Slant’s weekly round-up of local virus-related items you might have missed. The next update will appear on July 31. Previous updates are here, for the weeks ending:
June 26, June 19, June 12, June 5;
You might like to read the thoughts of some of our contributors – and perhaps add your own – on ‘Hopes for Northern Ireland.’
See Also:
Will Mental Health Issues Be The Next Wave? by Kevin McAteer – July 7
Putting Wellbeing at the Centre of a ‘Build Back Better’ Recovery – July 6
Surgery and Trauma: A Junior Doctor’s Perspective of Lockdown and Why We Can’t Repeat it – June 18
Lockdown lore, from Newry to Indonesia by Fionnbharr Rodgers – 16 June
How churches can continue to function during lockdown by Jason Sime – 6 May
The impact of Covid-19 on farming and food production by Ben McAteer – 5 May
From ‘Flattening the Curve’ to ‘Bending the Curve’? Lessons from responses to Coronavirus for addressing our planetary emergency by John Barry – 21 April
And read a first-person account from the beginning of the pandemic by NS contributor Callum McNeill here:
Escaping The Coronavirus – February 9
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Contact tracing app to launch next week
Northern Ireland will be the first part of the UK to have a contact tracing app, when Stop Covid NI is expected to launch next week.
The app, which will help identify people at risk of infection, was designed by tech company Nearform, who also designed the Republic of Ireland’s app. When that was launched earlier this month it was installed by one million people in the first 36 hours.
Ministers on both sides of the border had previously committed to co-ordinating their approach to tackling the virus and this is understood to be the first app of its kind to operate across a national frontier.
‘Wait and see’ on face coverings
The Executive decided not to impose mandatory face coverings in shops, which would have brought Northern Ireland into line with England, but ministers will revisit the decision next month.
The current R estimate in Northern Ireland is 0.7 – 1.1. (R represents the number of individuals who, on average, will be infected by a single person with the infection.) The weekly Covid-related death rate fell for an eleventh week.
Meanwhile, other relaxations of restrictions were announced, including the re-opening of swimming pools, spas and bowling alleys, while spectators will be allowed back to outdoor sporting events as long as social distancing can be observed.
Other virus news items this week:
Calls for hope & calls to action
Northern Slant aims to highlight some of the good news stories happening all around us. We’ll also show how communities are responding to the crisis, sharing details of how you might be able to get involved yourself.
Calls for Hope
Calls to Action
Information and Resources
Keep up with the latest updates from the Northern Ireland Department of Health here
And from Belfast City Council here
Have a good weekend.