Coronavirus (COVID-19)

You can get tested for COVID-19

Everyone must help stop coronavirus spreading.
If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people.
Avoid touching your face and wash your hands as soon as you get home.
You can spread the virus even if you don't have symptoms.

Click here for more information

Find out how to get tested here

A COVID-19 symptom checker is available here

Click here for more information on the new StopCOVID NI app

Understanding case definitions and COVID-19

In this blog, we explain important definitions of COVID-19 infection, and why this level of clarity is important in the management of the current pandemic, for our future monitoring and learning.

Joint Public Health Annual Conference - call for abstracts

Participate in the Joint Public Health Annual Conference by sharing your work on public health and COVID-19. The theme this year is COVID-19 - picking up the pieces. The focus will be on inequalities, such as ethnicity, deprivation, etc.

Student Mental Health during COVID-19

The full impact on students’ mental health as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic has yet to be assessed.

Have that conversation on end of life planning

The issue of death and dying is one which we often, as a society find difficult to talk about, particularly with our frail and elderly loved ones. Few of us want to consider the end.

With the pandemic sweeping across the world this year, this issue has been brought into sharp focus for many. A recent survey found that 74% of people had never prepared a statement of their end of life wishes or preferences and only 11% had discussed this with family and friends.

Vaccinate kids as the first line of defence against flu

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is calling on parents of children aged 2-12 to get them vaccinated against flu. This will help protect not only them but also those around them, particularly older grandparents or relations with an underlying health condition. Children in particular can increase the spread of the flu virus in the community, but vaccination helps curb this.

Welcome

The Public Health Agency (PHA) was established in April 2009 as part of the reforms to Health and Social Care (HSC) in Northern Ireland. We are the major regional organisation for health protection and health and social wellbeing improvement. Our role also commits us to addressing the causes and associated inequalities of preventable ill-health and lack of wellbeing. We are a multi-disciplinary, multi-professional body with a strong regional and local presence.

Directorates

In fulfilling our mandate to protect public health, improve public health and social wellbeing, and reduce inequalities in health and social wellbeing, the PHA works within an operational framework of three areas: Public Health, Nursing and Allied Health Professionals, and Operations. Our corporate and business plans reflect these arrangements and our purpose as an organisation.

Latest

Understanding case definitions and COVID-19
Friday, 25 September 2020 - Media
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, we have been able to develop a greater understanding of the infection as a result of having more data generated by the rapid introduction of disease specific surveillance programmes. All of this
Coronavirus weekly and monthly bulletins
Thursday, 24 September 2020 - Publication
The Public Health Agency (PHA) produces weekly and monthly bulletins on the COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland. The Weekly COVID-19 Bulletin presents high level data on key areas currently being used to monitor COVID-19 activity and highlights
Joint Public Health Annual Conference - call for abstracts
Thursday, 24 September 2020 - News
The Joint Public Health Annual Conference brings together a host of speakers working in public health and will take place over half a day. There will be a number of keynote speakers and various breakout sessions. Participate in the Joint Public
Staff guidelines on face coverings in all HSC facilities
Wednesday, 23 September 2020 - Publication
Following new guidance from the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer, this factsheet outlines the advice on face coverings for all Health and Social Care staff in facilities throughout Northern Ireland.