Effects of NI vaccination programme will not be felt until spring, warns health minister

Dear reader,

The vaccination programme has been in operation in Northern Ireland since last month, but Health Minister Robin Swann issued a stark warning on Thursday that its effects will not be seen until the spring.

Speaking to the Stormont Health Committee, Mr Swann said over 100,000 doses of the vaccine have now been administered here, but wanted that it would “probably be early spring before we see the effects of the vaccination programme”.

Thursday brought another heart-breaking story of a woman who lost her life to Covid-19.

Tributes were paid to Kelli McCaw from Galgorm in Co Antrim, who died on January 12 with the virus.

The Department of Health has confirmed that another 16 people with Covid-19 have died in Northern Ireland over the last 24 hours. In addition, another 973 infections were recorded in the last 24 hours.

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. We also have a special offer for you - 21% off all our monthly or annual subscription packages - when you use the code 21NEWYEAR between now and Sunday, January 17.

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.