In the face of the global pandemic that is COVID-19, it is completely ridiculous that the local government here is only committing to carrying out up to 800 tests per day. We have all seen the stories where people who have symptoms of COV-19 are being refused testing and told to go home and self-isolate.

This action is against the WHO guidelines whose advice is literally "test, test, test", the Assembly's inaction is putting our loved ones and the venerable at risk.

The NI Assembly must act immediately to establish community testing centers and drive through testing for COVID-19, to help stop the spread of the virus further.

It is ridiculous, even though there are two jurisdictions on the island of Ireland, that one half are ramping up their response, making testing readily available, while ordering bars etc to close and the other jurisdiction is advising people to stay away from social establishments and turning people away from testing.

These tests will help us save peoples lives, its time for our leaders to step up.