To protect yourself from COVID, I advise my Irish brothers to:
• Wear a mask.
• Use decentralized encrypted mesh networks like BitChat to communicate over short distances (a crowd or a city block).
• Avoid transmitting sensitive data over apps like Telegram or Signal. GCHQ can read it.
• For sensitive information, old school is cool. Good ol’ fashioned “Sneakernet” (physically walking with an SD card or note).
• Scout your routes and meeting spots in advance.
• Compartmentalize: only share what the other person needs to know. Loose lips sink ships.
• Learn basic countersurveillance: vary your routines, use public transport creatively, and watch for tails.
• Don’t carry your cellphone with you on an op.
Most importantly, have fun.
After all the malicious stupidity of COVID I never thought I'd say this but to my brethren in Belfast:
WEAR A MASK.