The Department of Health (DoH) yesterday announced the cessation of the COVID-19 Daily Dashboard of Statistics and changes to the frequency of other COVID-19 related statistical outputs.
On 24 March 2022, Minister of Health Robin Swann announced changes to the Test, Trace and Protect Strategy involving a more proportionate and targeted approach to test and trace, with first changes taking effect from 22 April 2022 and a period of transition through to end of June.
This decision prompted a review of the data and analyses currently published, including whether the impact of the change in strategy on these outputs means that they are less useful in monitoring the progress and response to the pandemic.
Changes to testing policy and behaviour mean daily totals of reported COVID-19 cases no longer provide a comprehensive indication of prevalence in the community.
Following the review of the published data, it has been decided that the daily dashboard of COVID-19 statistics will cease to be published after this Friday, 20 May.
The Department will continue to publish on a weekly basis COVID-19 infection survey positivity estimates. These provide a more reliable indicator of prevalence than reported positive cases.
The Department will also now be publishing statistics on COVID-19 Admissions and Inpatients on a weekly basis.
From next week Love Ballymena will bring you latest Covid data on a weekly basis, relating to infection survey positivity estimates, hospital admissions and inpatients, and covid-related death statistics.