DIVISIONS between doctors and political leaders over what happens next at this critical point in Northern Ireland's response to the pandemic have never been wider.
The main trade union representing medics has - publicly at least - been 'on message' with Stormont and supported the Executive's actions throughout the first wave.
However, a press release issued by the British Medical Association (BMA) in the hours after Arlene Foster's 'circuit breaker' announcement last month signalled a serious breakdown in relations, when its GP chair Dr Tom Black slated the move as "too little, too late".
The straight-talking Bogside GP has not been off the airwaves since, describing the mid-term break as the "worst week in living memory" for him working as a doctor in the NHS.
Emboldened and no doubt frustrated by spiralling hospital admissions, burnt out staff and wards at capacity, the medic went much further yesterday and launched on all-out attack on Stormont's leaders over plans to re-open pubs and restaurants in less than a fortnight.
In a stinging indictment, he drew comparisons between the Republic's government sanctioning an all-out lockdown and driving down infection rates and hospital cases - they are at less than half their peak admissions of the first surge - with the actions of their northern counterparts and the crisis being faced here.
His appeal for a blanket shutdown - but with schools remaining open - came just days after the north's most senior medic Dr Michael McBride also made the case that for 'R' to remain below one something had to give - either schools or hospitality.
For the tens of thousands of workers and their families working in this sector, the prospect of further restrictions is devastating even with extended furlough and grant packages.
The first minister pointed to "green shoots of hope" last week with evidence that rates are starting to slowly go down.
But with a health system that was haemorrhaging long before Covid and hospitals battling a time lag between virus admissions and deaths, the pressure on elected representatives to "do the right thing" is immense.
And with Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill's insistence that any easing of restrictions is to be "reviewed" while Ms Foster has effectively green-lighted them, tomorrow's Executive meeting is undoubtedly its most important in trying to navigate a way out of a horrendous second spike.
