What is Northern Ireland’s COVID-19 recovery plan?

Posted on by FactCheckNI

This article explains the Northern Ireland Executive’s COVID-19 recovery plan.

[It is part of the COVID-19 Information Dissemination (COVID-19 ID) Project — a partnership between Community Development and Health Network (CDHN) and FactCheckNI. Its aim is to improve people’s health literacy about COVID-19 by providing accurate and up-to-date information which will increase knowledge, understanding and confidence and enable people to make good health decisions.] Continue reading What is Northern Ireland’s COVID-19 recovery plan?

What are the rules regarding face masks/coverings in Northern Ireland?

Posted on by FactCheckNI

This article explains the guidance on if and/or when members of the public should wear face coverings in Northern Ireland and explores some of the available evidence regarding their use.

[This article is part of the COVID-19 Information Dissemination (COVID-19 ID) Project — a partnership between Community Development and Health Network (CDHN) and FactCheckNI. Its aim is to improve people’s health literacy about COVID-19 by providing accurate and up-to-date information which will increase knowledge, understanding and confidence and enable people to make good health decisions.]

Continue reading What are the rules regarding face masks/coverings in Northern Ireland?

Has the suicide rate increased 200% during the COVID-19 lockdown period?

Posted on by FactCheckNI

[This article is part of the COVID-19 Information Dissemination (COVID-19 ID) Project — a partnership between Community Development and Health Network (CDHN) and FactCheckNI. Its aim is to improve people’s health literacy about COVID-19 by providing accurate and up-to-date information that will increase knowledge, understanding and confidence and enable people to make good health decisions.]

CLAIM: Suicides have increased 200% in the COVID-19 lockdown period.

CONCLUSION: UNSUBSTANTIATED. There are no official statistics or evidence to support the claim that the rates of suicide increased 200% during the period of lockdown (i.e. from 23 March to present). Continue reading Has the suicide rate increased 200% during the COVID-19 lockdown period?

Shielding Letters: Q&A

Posted on by FactCheckNI

Here we answer some questions on shielding letters and how they work. We will add to this as, and when, new information becomes available.

[This piece is part of the COVID-19 Information Dissemination (COVID-19 ID) Project — a partnership between Community Development and Health Network (CDHN) and FactCheckNI. Its aim is to improve people’s health literacy about COVID-19 by providing accurate and up-to-date information, which will increase knowledge, understanding and confidence and enable people to make good health decisions. FactCheckNI have also produced a live an article explaining what shielding letters are; who should have received them; and who sends them – you can find it here.] Continue reading Shielding Letters: Q&A

Social distancing in Northern Ireland

Posted on by FactCheckNI

This article explains what the rules are in Northern Ireland regarding the social distance between people. It also discusses the evidence regarding lessening the current 2 metre distance.

[This article is part of the COVID-19 Information Dissemination (COVID-19 ID) Project — a partnership between Community Development and Health Network (CDHN) and FactCheckNI. Its aim is to improve people’s health literacy about COVID-19 by providing accurate and up-to-date information that will increase knowledge, understanding and confidence and enable people to make good health decisions.]
Continue reading Social distancing in Northern Ireland

Deep dive: COVID-19 related inequalities

Posted on by FactCheckNI

Making basic comparisons between the numbers of COVID-19 positive tests or deaths across different geographic regions using raw figures may seem straightforward. But coming to conclusions about the significance of differences is fraught with difficulty, given differences in population structures (particularly age).

This explainer builds on our outline article and looks at the wealth of data and the charts behind recent reports from the Department of Health (DoH) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). Those organisations present a standardised analysis of COVID-19 infections (positive test results), hospital admissions and deaths, to assess the different health outcomes across regions of Northern Ireland, with a particular focus on areas of least and most deprivation. Continue reading Deep dive: COVID-19 related inequalities