Two Sinn Féin ministers in isolation over Covid, but say they will work from home

Yesterday Sinn Féin said that Communities Minister Caral Ni Chuilin is self-isolating after a close family member contracted Covid-19.

Sinn Fein’s North Belfast Assembly member said she would remain in quarantine for 14 days but work remotely from home.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill is also self-isolating after a relative tested positive last week.

On Saturday she said that her own test for the virus had come back negative but she will self-isolate nonetheles.

Stormont’s public health advice states that even after a negative test result someone should self-isolate if anyone they live with has tested positive, or develops symptoms of COVID-19 and has not been tested, or if the person has been in close contact with a confirmed case.

Ms Ni Chuilin said: “I have written to the Speaker [party colleague Alex Maskey] advising him that due to close family members testing positive for Covid-19 & will be isolating for 14 days.

“I will be working remotely at home and fulfilling my responsibilities.”

Ms O’Neill – who has continued to refuse to apologise for breaking her own public health advice by attending the funeral of ex-IRA commander Bobby Storey in June – said in a tweet: “My very best wishes to Caral and her family at this challenging time.

“Caral has done tremendous work in supporting communities and vulnerable citizens and will continue to do so remotely.”

Significant limits on household contacts remain in place across Northern Ireland as the number of new cases of the virus has soared in recent weeks.

More stringent precautions were introduced in the Derry City and Strabane local government district.

However, the Executive is meeting today and is expected to discuss further restrictions, either into other local areas or on a Northern Ireland-wide basis – perhaps even something close to a briefer quasi-lockdown such as was implemented in the spring.