22 further deaths with 669 confirmed cases in the North

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A further 22 people have died after testing positive for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland.

The Department of Health also confirmed another 669 positive cases of the virus on Friday.

There are 745 patients with Covid-19 in hospital, including 67 in ICU.

Earlier, the North's chief medical officer has said he is content to wait for his turn to receive the coronavirus vaccination.

Neither Dr Michael McBride nor Health Minister Robin Swann have yet received the jab while the chief executives of the health trusts have.

The vaccinations are being rolled out with a twin-track approach of pensioners over the age of 70 to receive the AstraZeneca jab from their GPs while those over the age of 65 have been invited to book appointments for the Pfizer dose at regional centres.

Dr McBride stressed the importance of the rollout as the faster spreading UK variant of the virus becomes more prevalent in Northern Ireland.

However he also warned that those who have received the vaccination must all continue to limit social contacts and follow public health advice as they may still be able to spread Covid-19 despite being inoculated.

Concerns have been voiced by some about the twin-track approach, with complaints people in the 65-69-year-old age bracket may receive the vaccination before older pensioners and younger people who are clinically vulnerable.

By Thursday, some 199,211 doses of the vaccine had been administered, including 175,284 first doses and 23,927 second doses.

Patricia Donnelly, head of the vaccine rollout in Northern Ireland, said the AstraZeneca vaccine is easier to transport so is being used in GP practices, whereas the Pfizer jab is more suited to a larger centre.