Almost 20,000 people have received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
A total of 121,711 vaccines have been administered – 19,010 were second doses.
Health Minister Robin Swann said we are now in the most difficult winter that our health service has ever endured.
“I have loudly echoed the stark warnings from our leading doctors and Trust managers and I know how difficult it has been for them to make decisions about cancelling operations in order to ensure that our hospitals can cope with the numbers of very sick patients who will need lifesaving care in these coming weeks.
“I urge everyone to give our health and social care workers the support they so desperately need by sticking closely to the new regulations introduced to save lives and protect our health service.
“Please stay home and if you have to go out, follow public health advice about social distancing, wearing face coverings and remembering hand hygiene because we need to all we can to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe,” he said.
LATEST #COVID19 VACCINE UPDATE:
121,711 vaccines have been administered, of which 19,010 were second doses. pic.twitter.com/NguquS2wHJ
— Department of Health (@healthdpt) January 14, 2021
Meanwhile, a global team of researchers has arrived in the Chinese city of Wuhan where the pandemic broke out. They will be conducting a politically sensitive probe into the origin of COVID-19 and there are reports that Beijing may try to prevent embarrassing discoveries.