Dear Ed,
RE: Publication of Daily COVID-19 related statistics via a Public facing Dashboard
I am writing to you to set out our proposed plans for the orderly release of COVID19 statistics by the Department of Health Northern Ireland into the public domain.
It would be my intention to release daily information in the form of a public facing dashboard on COVID19 beginning Friday 1st of May 2020 at 2.00pm each day. I recognise that this would be a departure from the normal release practice of the standard publication time of 9.30am but would suggest that by moving to this release time we will be able to provide the latest position on a range of statistics that are of interest to our users. It will, for example, allow us to present a range of information reflecting the position in the preceding 24 hours as of 9.00am each day. It would be my intention to apply the normal pre-release practice.
Once the dashboard is ‘up and running’ it would be my intention to add further content both to provide a more fuller picture of how the virus continues to effect citizens in Northern Ireland and to reflect user feedback. In doing so I will of course pre-announce any changes to the dashboard content so that users are aware of our plans in advance.
I trust that this meets with your approval.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Eugene Mooney
Senior Statistician, NISRA