Northern Ireland parties call emergency meeting for new coronavirus strain

FOUR OF THE FIVE five parties sharing power in Northern Ireland are calling for an emergency Executive meeting to discuss the new strain of Covid-19 found in England.

The government ministers of Sinn Fein, the Alliance Party and the SDLP issued a joint request for an executive meeting to be held on Sunday.

In a letter seen by the Palestinian Authority news agency, Justice Minister Naomi Long, Finance Minister Conor Murphy and Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon expressed concern about the most infectious variant of the coronavirus found in England.

It is understood that UUP Health Minister Robin Swann has also written to Prime Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy Prime Minister Michelle O’Neill requesting an urgent meeting.

It is not clear if the DUP has agreed.

“The speed and scale of virus transmission and the fact that it is so rapid is a cause for alarm for all of us,” the parties said in a joint letter.

“Although our Executive met last Thursday and moved to make decisions before others, it would be prudent for the entire Executive to be informed by the Minister of Health and the Medical Director and the Scientific Director at the first opportunity.

“We must be sure that our regulations and restrictions during the Christmas period and those agreed for the next six-week period are strong enough to safeguard public health in the context of these latest developments.

“On this basis, we write to request that a remote meeting of the Executive Committee be convened today, Sunday, December 20.”

The joint petition comes after people in Northern Ireland were urged to keep their Christmas bubbles as small as possible and consider forming them by December 25 alone amid a “new aggressive strain” of Covid-19.

The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers and Swann met with Medical Director Michael McBride and Senior Scientific Adviser Professor Ian Young on Saturday as rules were tightened in other parts of the UK.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson canceled Christmas for millions of people in London and south-east England after scientists said a new variant of the coronavirus is spreading faster.

Ms. O’Neill said Saturday: “Bubbly Christmas arrangements are in place for those who feel they need to join.

“If you must take advantage of them, consider doing it for just one day, on Christmas Day.

“Keep your bubble as small as possible and gather for the shortest time possible.

“We are clearly very concerned about the Covid-19 situation that is developing. The speed at which this variant strain of the virus is spreading is of great concern.

Earlier today, the Northern Ireland Department of Health confirmed that another 13 people with Covid-19 had died within a 24-hour period, bringing the death toll to 1,196.

505 new cases of the virus were also reported in the region.

There were 421 Covid-19 patients in hospitals, including 30 in the ICU.