Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew has said an all-island approach is required to deal with COVID-19. 

The Sinn Féin health spokesperson said: 

“It is an absolute truth that viruses do not recognise borders; therefore our strategy must be the suppression and elimination of the COVID virus on an all-island basis. 

“Public health officials across the entire island must act swiftly and cohesively if we are to return to any kind of normality in our economy and in our social activities.

“The evidence gained from epidemiological data from the north and south supports the case for coordinated action across the entire island if we are to suppress and eliminate the COVID virus. 

“The experts agree on what needs to be done – Belfast and Dublin must act as a tag team with a no-nonsense attitude; setting political agendas aside to ruthlessly hunt down and eliminate the COVID-19 virus in a cooperative manner across the island and the objective must be to achieve a zero Covid future.

“Both governments must be fully committed to full investment in the infrastructure and apparatus of suppression and elimination – extensive finding, testing, contact tracing and isolation.  Special attention must be paid to border communities, north and south, with testing, contact tracing and so forth carried out seamlessly through fully cooperative efforts.

“The Memorandum of Understanding between the two administrations must be beefed up – with daily strategising and data sharing between health departments and public health officials. There can be no room for complacency or dithering by any party.”