Ulster Unionist Leader, Steve Aiken OBE MLA, said:
“Declan Kearney `s comments are deeply regrettable coming at a time when the Northern Ireland Executive needs to be pulling together to lead the fightback against Covid-19 for the benefit of all our people.
“We should all be concentrating on doing everything in our power to reduce the number of deaths rather than Sinn Fein engaging in the political point scoring which Declan Kearney now seems intent on doing.
“As I said on Nolan, Sinn Fein should reflect on the words of the Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus when he said ‘Please don`t politicise this virus. It exploits the differences you have at the national level. If you want to be exploited and if you want to have many more body bags, then you do it. If you don`t want many more body bags, then you refrain from politicising it.’
“The Ulster Unionist Party`s number one priority has always been to save lives. Sinn Fein need to decide if their role is to undermine public confidence and their Executive colleagues during the biggest public health emergency we have faced for generations or is it to help save lives? As the Health Minister, Robin Swann has spelt out, at the end of this the only thing dividing us will be those who are still alive and those who are dead. When we are through this, there will be plenty of time for analysis, but for now we need to make sure as many people as possible survive.”