Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister has said she feared at one point that she might need to be hospitalised after contracting Covid-19.

Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill made the comments after returning to work following several weeks off recuperating from the virus.

She said the illness had been a "frightening experience", which would have been much worse had she not been vaccinated.

"It completely floored me, it's like nothing I've ever experienced before and it took me the best part of three weeks to get back onto my feet.

"I can't imagine what I would have gone through if I hadn't had the vaccine."

Ms O'Neill announced on Twitter on 31 August that she had tested positive for Covid-19.

She also said she would advocate a cautious approach to further lockdown easing at Thursday's Executive meeting.

Ms O'Neill said the health service is struggling to cope with high Covid-19 levels and staff were exhausted as they faced into the additional winter pressures.

She said if people stuck to simple rules like social distancing and the wearing of face coverings, more stringent measures, such as temporary lockdowns, could be avoided.

But she said it was important to be honest with people and tell them that all measures had to remain on the table.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2021/0920/1247891-michelle-oneill/

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