Wearing face coverings in crowded indoor settings will remain a legal requirement in Northern Ireland throughout this autumn and winter, First Minister Paul Givan has told the Stormont Assembly.
He also said that Covid status certification could be deployed as a contingency measure in some high-risk settings if cases rise sharply.
But, setting out the Executive's Autumn/Winter Covid Contingency Plan, Mr Givan said if everybody follows the rules the public can look forward to a winter with fewer restrictions than at any point during the pandemic.
Delivering a statement at Stormont, he said: "In respect of the Autumn/Winter Covid Contingency Plan we start with the need to keep sectors open to the fullest possible extent and hopefully in