Commenting on this evening’s Northern Ireland Executive decision on extending lockdown restrictions, chair of BMA’s Northern Ireland Council Tom Black said:

“The Executive has had to announce further restrictions tonight because infection rates are still too high, GP practices are still exceptionally busy and our hospitals are either at or above capacity.  It is therefore imperative that the Executive does all it can to support our health service in the run up to Christmas and beyond and that means acting quickly and decisively on the medical and scientific advice presented to them. As we have seen, failure to do just that in recent weeks has undermined the hard work and selfless dedication of frontline health and social care staff and put our health service in a precarious position heading into winter.

“It is now vitally important that the public continues to play their part and take all the precautions they can. That means socially distancing, wearing a mask, and washing hands regularly.”