Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Bouquet-ing is required as Nat Trust opens its parks & gardens
HOW IT SHOULD WORK To Finaghy and beyond for pals
unknown positive cases of coronavirus in the country.
Latest survey data from the Office for National Statistics released yesterday suggests most people with Covid-19 have no symptoms.
A survey of 19,000 people showed 70% of those to test positive had no symptoms. The findings underscore the difficulty faced by the new contact tracing system.
Mr Hancock confirmed contact tracers could instruct people to isolate for 14 days more than once.
It emerged yesterday that the contact tracing app – supposed to be part of the launch – has been delayed by a month.
MPS revealed the delay after speaking to Tory peer and executive chairwoman of NHS Test and Trace and ex Talktalk chief, Dido Harding.
Labour’s Ben Bradshaw said: “Not sure where that leaves Johnson’s promise of a fully operational ‘world beating’ system by Monday.”
Asked if the test and trace system start had caught health workers by surprise, the PM’S official spokesman said: “No. The PM has set out that it was important to have the system up and running by June 1. That’s what we have done.”
The Department of Health insisted that the “vast majority of our 25,000 staff have completed their training”.
NORTHERN Ireland’s National Trust gardens and parklands will begin to reopen to the public from next week.
On Wednesday, people with pre-bought tickets can visit some Trust properties including Mount Stewart, Castle Coole, The Argory and Downhill Demesne.
Bookings can be made online from today. All the Trust’s houses, shops, holiday cottages and campsites remain closed.
Director-general Hilary Mcgrady said: “We want to provide safe, local, welcoming spaces for people, and, wherever possible, we will open our gardens and parks, and coast and countryside car parks.
“The fresh air, bird song, big skies and open spaces people have missed will be there, but things will be very different.
“We want to thank people for their patience and support while we gradually begin reopening and welcoming our visitors.”
The Royal Horticultural Society will also open its gardens from Monday.
A limited number of tickets will be available for members and visitors each day at the society’s four NI properties.
A NORTHERN Ireland community have rallied to support each other during the fight against Coronavirus.
Residents in the Finaghy area of South Belfast have come together to help their most vulnerable neighbours.
Since March, volunteers from the Finaghy Residents’ Association have been busy delivering essential items to everyone from the elderly to families struggling to get by.
Volunteer Lynda Courtney said: “It’s been such an eye-opener. It’s also been heartbreaking to see how some people are only just coping. Some people who haven’t got 2d to rub together.
“We provide things like toothpaste, soap, baby wipes, sugar and tea – just basic necessities.”
Lynda, 54, has lived in Finaghy all her life but said: “It’s almost back to how it was years ago, when everyone chatted to each other. You’re talking to people that you’ve always seen but never stopped and taken a moment to interact with.”