Covid-19: 'Toughest week yet' of pandemic for NI hospitals By Marie-Louise Connolly Published image captionNorthern Ireland's hospitals have faced intense pressure in recent weeks Medical staff are expected to "face pressures unlike any other they have faced before" as NI approaches its toughest week so far in the pandemic. The British Medical Association has said while its doctors are "coping", many feel they are unable to give care to the "standard they would want". The peak in intensive care is predicted to happen next weekend. The head of the BMA in NI, Dr Tom Black has been critical of the way this wave of the pandemic has been managed.