£100 Spend Local Card scheme co uld be used to boost NI economy

Dear reader
The order in which groups of people in Northern Ireland will receive the coronavirus vaccine has been revealed for the first time.
The list was devised by an independent expert advisory group, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), and will be used by the Northern Ireland Executive.
The first group to be vaccinated will be older residents in a care home and care home workers. They will be followed by all those aged 80 or over and health and social care workers. The Department of Health has said that 570,000 people here will get a vaccine as part of the 20 million doses purchased by the government.
The positive news about a vaccination programme comes amid continued confusion over the possible lifting of Covid-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland.
With the restrictions due to end later this week, the Stormont Executive has been locked in talks about which of the measures can be lifted on schedule.
High-profile members of the hospitality sector have slammed ministers, warning that even if restrictions are lifted, it will come too late for them to resume business this weekend.
Northern Ireland’s death toll related to the virus continues to rise, with another 11 deaths related to Covid-19 recorded over the last 24 hours.
There were 514 new infections recorded with 420 people with the virus being treated in Northern Ireland’s hospitals.
Alistair Bushe

Editor

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