To ask the Minister of Health what has been learned from contact tracing since April 2020 about the behaviour of the coronavirus and how it is being transmitted in Northern Ireland.

As far as it has been possible to ascertain, the behaviour of the virus in NI is similar to that which has been the case globally. There is evidence of person to person transmission. There is a risk of transmission to other household members when one member acquires the infection.

The international evidence suggests that maintaining physical distance, frequent hand washing, minimising touching of potentially infected surfaces, good ventilation and early isolation of potentially infected cases and their close contacts can reduce transmission.

Further evidence may emerge in due course.