A new lockdown in Northern Ireland will begin on 26 December, the executive has agreed
Essential shops to close by 20:00 GMT every night during the first week of the lockdown
Twelve coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the Department of Health on Thursday
In total. the department has recorded 1,154 deaths linked to Covid-19
656 more people have tested positive for Covid-19, in the past seven days there have been 3,531 positive cases
Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political reporter
I understand Stormont ministers were presented with three possible start dates for a new lockdown - 19 December, 26 December or 2 January.
It seems they’ve been moving towards that Boxing Day date, with the first week bringing toughest restrictions to send a firm message.
Image source, PACEMAKERBBC News NI understands there will not be a prolonged closure of schools, similar to what we had in March.
Our education correspondent Robbie Meredith said transmission rates among 10-19 year-olds are causing concern, which could cause a staggered return.
The staggered return to schools in England is to allow for a Covid testing scheme, but there has been no announcement whether mass-testing will take place in NI schools.
The first minister and the education minister have said they regard closing schools as a last resort.
BBC News NI Heath correspondent Marie-Louise Connolly tweets that the briefing paper before Stormont ministers warns that doing nothing, or leaving the introduction of restrictions until 2 January, would result in "an unmanageable level of demand for health system".
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Image source, Getty ImagesMinisters are also expected to discuss a decision by England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to strengthen guidance about how people can meet up with families over Christmas.
On Wednesday, London and the devolved governments agreed to keep in place a plan to allow households to form "Christmas bubbles" from 23 to 27 December.
The first and deputy first ministers said they wanted to ensure people in Northern Ireland were not isolated over Christmas, but stressed that "personal responsibility" should be a priority for anyone planning to have contact with others.
Currently, people from three households in Northern Ireland will be allowed to meet indoors for five days from 23 to 27 December.
Taoiseach (Irish PM) Micheál Martin has tested negative for Covid-19 following an announcement on Thursday that he was limiting his movements.
Mr Martin attended a European Council meeting in Brussels last week where French President Emmanuel Macron, who has since tested positive for Covid-19, was present.
Earlier today, the Irish Times, external reported that Mr Martin was awaiting a Covid-19 test and was limiting his contacts as a precaution.
The taoiseach's engagements were postponed pending the outcome of the test.
Enda McClafferty
BBC News NI political correspondent
You do get the sense that given what's happened over the past week or so, given the scenes we witnessed outside hospitals, that ministers will be lining up behind Robin Swann on what he is calling for.
The figures are pretty dire.
There is a difficult conversation taking place around what's going to happen in relation to schools, whether or not there will be an extended holiday over Christmas.
We understand they're looking at a number of interventions to try to reduce the face-to-face contact in classrooms.
That's a piece of work that will be carried out by the Department of Health and the Department of Education.
We don't know if there will be any concrete decisions on that today.
In England, the return to secondary school in January will be staggered, with some pupils starting online rather than in class.
Hotel owners have expressed frustration over how the latest coronavirus restrictions will impact their Christmas and New Year bookings.
The Galgorm hotel in Ballymena told BBC NI how important the Christmas period is to their business.
They said they are fully booked on New Year's Eve and the hotel will be at maximum capacity.
Couple's who have booked weddings will also have to rebook their venues if additional lockdown measures are announced.
Image source, PA MediaWe are hearing that the executive has revisited the issue of non-essential retail in light of the latest coronavirus restrictions.
BBC News NI understands that garden centres, click and collect services and homeware stores are included in non-essential retail that will have to shut during the six week lockdown.
In the previous limited lockdown, garden centres and homeware stores were allowed to remain open.
Most indoor and outdoor venues will also have to close along with all hospitality, including pubs and restaurants.
Image source, AFPThere's been plenty of news from Westminster today too, including that the UK's furlough scheme has been extended for an extra month until the end of April 2021.
Rishi Sunak said the move will provide "certainty for millions of jobs and businesses".
Mr Sunak also confirmed he would be extending the government-guaranteed Covid-19 business loan schemes until the end of March.
These changes come in the run-up to the next Budget, which the chancellor confirmed would take place on 3 March 2021.
Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said that ambulance crews in the Republic of Ireland will "provide support" to the Northern Ireland Ambulance service (NIAS) this weekend "due to the pressures being experienced".
Ambulances have been delayed at emergency departments across Northern Ireland this week as hospitals continue to face severe pressures.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
A photo of a WhatsApp message supposedly detailing the restrictions being considered by the NI Executive has been doing the rounds on social media this afternoon.
The Department of Heath has put out a tweet to say it is a "fake" and should be ignored.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
The meeting is still under way.
In the Republic of Ireland there are 211 people in hospital with Covid-19, including 27 in ICU.
The chief executive of Ireland’s health service has said the Covid-19 situation in Northern Ireland serves as a “stark reminder” of what can happen in a very rapidly changing manner.
Paul Reid said the Northern Ireland figures demonstrated how a sustained level of cases can have a massive impact, in particular on the hospital system, in a very quick period of time.
“I think what we’re seeing in the north of Ireland over the last few days in particular gives us that stark reminder,” he added.
The NI health service faces a "nightmare six weeks ahead", the chair of NI's British Medical Association (BMA) has said.
Dr Tom Black said pressure on the system meant healthcare staff "will have to make moral and ethical decisions they weren't trained for".
Image source, PacemakerHospitals in NI have faced severe pressures over the last few days with ambulances queuing outside hospitals.
"You really don't want to get sick over the next six weeks," Dr Black said.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe latest Covid-19 figures released by the Department of Health show that 12 more people had died with the virus, 10 in the last 24 hours and two from outside the reporting period.
There were 656 new cases of the virus recorded, meaning there have been 3,531 cases in the last seven days.
Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political reporter
The major news so far today is that it's understood health officials have proposed a six-week lockdown across Northern Ireland in a bid to curb the virus.
Another proposal that's been tabled is that essential shops in NI would close by 8pm every night during the first week of a new lockdown.
The executive is meeting right now to consider a range of options from the health minister.
It is believed Robin Swann has suggested a new six-week lockdown, with a review after four weeks, take effect from 26 December.
Image source, PA MediaIt proposes the closure of non-essential retail from the end of trading on Christmas Eve, and hospitality only allowed to offer takeaway services.
The first week of a fresh lockdown could also see tighter rules on outdoor gatherings, and a ban on people meeting others in private gardens.
Health officials have also proposed measures to limit the reopening of schools in January, and it's understood a package of interventions will be drawn up by the education and health departments.
However any new lockdown restrictions will have to be signed off by the whole executive, which is meeting now to consider Mr Swann's paper.
It's been another busy day of Covid-19 news in Northern Ireland and, with ministers at Stormont meeting right now to discuss a possible further lockdown, we're bringing you all the latest into the early evening.
So stay with us and we'll get you up to speed and take you through all the breaking news until tea time.