The last remaining restriction imposed during the covid-19 pandemic is being officially lifted today.
The rule was introduced back in 2020 to protect against covid-19 and is officially being lifted today.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre says face coverings should still be worn around patients displaying coronavirus symptoms.
Infectious disease specialist, Professor Sam McConkey is welcoming the move - but says many people are still very frightened of covid.
'The fear and the trauma of two and a half years of restrictions has left a significant imprint of anxiety on them and now over the next year, I think we need to help those folks to reestablish their social connections and their confidence in going out. We had social distancing, now we should be looking at social intimacy and social friendships and building social networks. These are all an essential part of our lives.'
