A blog from the Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service

Health & Social Care

Social media spread of misinformation and COVID-19 vaccine uptake

As the COVID-19 vaccination programme progresses in Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom, this article considers the causes and consequences of misinformation… Read More »Social media spread of misinformation and COVID-19 vaccine uptake

This article considers a number of recent medical developments in relation to COVID-19 and the implications of the new vaccine for Northern Ireland. Coronaviruses are… Read More »COVID-19: Vaccines and other potential treatments

Context The RaISe research paper ‘Exit’ from COVID-19 ‘lockdown’: Health-related issues (20 May 2020) contained sections on transmission of the virus SARS-CoV-2 and two of… Read More »‘Exit’ from COVID-19 lockdown: Social distancing and face coverings to minimise the spread of the virus

The Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe) has published a number of papers on testing for Sars-CoV-2 tracking and contact tracing, including ‘Testing for Sars-CoV-2… Read More »‘Exit’ from COVID-19 lockdown: Use of testing and contact tracing

The risk is that a complicated number is released without context into a world that doesn’t know how to think about it. The ‘R… Read More »Ten reasons to be cautious about using R to support decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic

Dr Janice Thompson and Sinéad McMurray This article is based on information extracted from the RaISe briefing paper: Testing for Sars-CoV-2 in the UK;… Read More »COVID-19: How is testing and contact tracing being used in Northern Ireland and beyond?

Although loneliness and social isolation are often reported synonymously, they are in fact distinct concepts. A person who is isolated may not necessarily be lonely,… Read More »Loneliness: What is it and what can be done about it?

Most of us by now understand the need to ‘flatten the curve’ in order to reduce the number of overall cases of COVID-19 and… Read More »Where are we on the COVID-19 curve?

By Keara McKay & Thomas Procter This is a visualisation prepared and maintained by the Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe). It presents… Read More »Visualisation of COVID-19 in Northern Ireland

In order to provide support to Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), the Research and Information Service (RaISe) has produced this round-up of trusted,… Read More »Sources of guidance and support on the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19)