The Department of Health reported a further 19 Covid-related deaths on Wednesday
Another 1,145 people tested positive in the past 24 hours
The number of confirmed Covid-19 patients in hospital is 869 - an increase of 84 during the past 24 hours
NI's goal to begin a mass Covid-19 vaccine rollout by summer is "achievable" but hinges on supply - leading GP
Stormont's High Street voucher scheme is deferred until the next financial year
That's all from us on the latest Covid-19 briefing.
You can read more on what was said here and also keep up with all the latest news via the BBC News NI website, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Newsline.
We'll see you next time.
Here's some of the major lines from the briefing held by NI's health minister, chief medical officer and chief scientific adviser:
Another thing worth mentioning from the briefing is this line from chief scientific officer Prof Ian Young, who says there is always a "lag period, a delay" between people becoming infected and then, a number of days later, those cases becoming hospital admissions.
He added: "We're still seeing the number of hospital admissions rise, day by day, it hasn't yet peaked, although hopefully will do so in the next few days."
Image source, PA MediaProf Young says that the number of hospital admissions are now higher than at any point during the course of the epidemic.
Mr Young believes that number will not peak until the last two weeks of January, adding that will be true as long as people adhere to the restrictions.
While the briefing has now ended, one of the lines to emerge was an apology from chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride after it emerged some kidney transplant surgeries have been affected due to the latest wave of the pandemic.
Organs from deceased donors are having to be turned down instead of being used for life-saving transplantation.
Demand for intensive care in Belfast City Hospital means there were no operating facilities available for kidney transplant surgery.
Dr McBride says pressures on the health service meant "difficult decisions have had to be made".
He says it had not been an easy decision for officials to take, but high levels of community transmission of the virus had been a factor.
"We need to bear in mind for those individuals who are highly sensitised it is difficult to find matches.
"The deceased kidney donor programme is proceeding but that is not the case in terms of the live donor programme."
He says the decision would be kept under constant review, and that affected patients would also be kept under surveillance to ensure they did not deteriorate while waiting for their transplant surgery.
Dr Michael McBride reminds the public to "not delay seeking medical care" for an acute medical condition or a deterioration of an underlying condition.
“We should also take time to consider all those working in health and social care whose tireless commitment over the last ten months has been extraordinary, we owe each and every one them a huge debt of gratitude.
"At present, and in the coming weeks, they will be tested like never before.
"They will not be found wanting nor will they let you down. Please do not let them down, please stay at home."
Image source, Stormont Covid-19 health briefingHe says that we are now seeing a slowing of the infection rate and thanked everyone who has followed the advice and adhered to the restrictions.
"I am once again asking everyone to stick with it, stay the course, see it to the end, we are almost there.
"Please stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives."
Health Minister Robin Swann responds "yes" when asked if he prays at night that the health service can come through its current pressures.
"The scale and severity of the impact that Covid-19 is actually having on our system is like nothing we've seen in living memory," he says.
"It has required our entire system to learn and adapt and take action in the most difficult circumstances.
"This past week when I saw a number of our trusts having to confirm a downturn in elective surgery does reflect the unprecedented pressures that Covid-19 and the pandemic is creating in our hospitals."
Image source, PAThe health minister says he is "assured that every attempt will continue to be made to protect the most urgent of our surgeries" and that postponed operations will be rescheduled "as quickly as possible".
He says the health system was "struggling to maintain itself this time last year pre-Covid" and now "is fighting its hardest at this minute in time to support the people when they need it most".
Prof Ian Young gave a breakdown on local government districts and says that over the last week, the number of cases have fallen in every area.
He added that although they are fallen, the numbers remain "very high", particularly in Mid Ulster; Newry, Mourne and Down; and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon.
He says that there are high levels of infection everywhere in the community and advised that "we need to remain very cautious".
Prof Young also indicates that NI's current levels of infection are a "little lower" than in England and "significantly lower" than in the Republic of Ireland, where there's been a "marked rise in the Christmas period".
He noted that NI's level of infection is still somewhat higher than in Scotland and in Wales.
"The picture is very different in our hospitals, compared to what is happening with cases" added Prof Young.
Northern Ireland's lockdown measures "are producing results", Robin Swann says.
The R-number, the transmission rate of the virus, is "coming down with our objective of getting it below one again", he adds.
However, the minister says: "We may well have some further challenging decisions to make by early February."
Robin Swann says the restrictions will be kept under review, but warns against lifting measures "too early or too widely".
"The situation in our hospitals is too precious for that," he continues.
Chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride says that while “the rollout of the vaccine programme in NI has been an outstanding achievement”, he stressed the importance of what vaccines can and cannot do.
"Vaccines are undoubtedly a game changer", he says, and the "map out of what we’ve all been living through over the past year".
"But they do not make the virus disappear," he adds.
"The jab offers protection from Covid, it stops people getting ill or very ill and that means in time, as more people are vaccinated, the pressure on our health service will ease and that is vital, that is the breakthrough that we need."
He says that does not mean those who are vaccinated can forget about coronavirus.
"It cannot be party time or time to through caution to the wind. People who are vaccinated have to keep taking all those measures that keep everyone one of us safe."
Prof Ian Young says although everyone is working together to reduce the cases in Northern Ireland, there is still a "long way to go".
He says that demand for testing has "risen" as there has been "higher levels of infection" circulating in the community.
He adds: "We have continued to be able to offer a test for anyone who needs one through our testing centres.
"Test positivity is an important indicator of the extent of community transmission."
Prof Young says that what we're seeing on cases is both "positive and encouraging".
Image source, Matthew HowellA new rapid Covid-19 test is being rolled out to emergency departments across Northern Ireland over the coming week, Robin Swann says.
The LumiraDX nasal swab test "delivers results inside 12 minutes".
Mr Swann says it will enable health staff to "very quickly identify patients who do not have Covid-19".
This will help decision-making on what form of care to provide, the health minister explains.
The Belfast Trust has been one of five pilot sites across the UK to trial the test, which Mr Swann describes as a "major project".
Northern Ireland's chief scientific adviser, Prof Ian Young, begins by going through Covid-19 data over the last period since Christmas.
Prof Young shows a graph highlighting a rise in new cases as a result of households mixing over the Christmas period.
"In the last few days we've began to see the number of cases falling.
"Although I have to stress that they remain at a very high level.
"Even now, as we see the numbers falling, getting lower, they remain at a higher level than any time during wave one or wave two of this epidemic."
There have been 109,259 doses of Covid-19 vaccines administered in Northern Ireland as of Tuesday evening, Robin Swann says.
91,419 people have received at least their first dose and 90% of care homes (458 out of 483) have received their first dose.
67% of care homes have administered a second dose.
Image source, ReutersThe health minister says close to 20% of over-80s have received their first jab.
He says the vaccine rollout has "a long way to go" but has made a "strong start" and the availability of the vaccine is the only restrictive factor in its delivery.
He says it is not possible to vaccinate everyone straight away "as much as we would like to", but urges people to show patience.
"We will get there, steadily and systematically," he says.
"The supplies will coming in batches and we will keep prioritising in line with the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation guidance."
He adds the programme is "yet another example of our health service rising to the challenges".
Visits to patients on general medical wards in NI hospitals will no longer be allowed from Friday, the health minister says.
The measure will be "kept under constant review", Robin Swann adds, saying he will lift the restriction as soon as possible.
The minister says visits will still be permitted in some areas "such as our hospices and our care homes".
Health Minister Robin Swann begins today's media briefing by paying tribute to the efforts of healthcare staff throughout the pandemic.
"We need to look after them, not just now but for the years to come," he says.
"We as a society will have to look after our health service better than we have in previous years."
"The health service is up against it right now and the pressures are without parallel."
Mr Swann says people should use the NHS "responsibly" to help it deal with the current pressures.
Health Minister Robin Swann, chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride and chief scientific officer Dr Ian Young have taken their place at the Stormont lecterns.
Watch their briefing live by hitting the play button at the top of this page.
Here's the abridged version:
Image source, PA MediaWe have some breaking news to bring you right away - test provider AQE has cancelled their transfer test due to be held on Saturday 27 February.
They have also said that no AQE test will take place this school year.
Grammar schools who were planning to use the AQE test will now have to find alternative arrangements to admit pupils in 2021.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe other test provider PPTC had already cancelled their tests.
The AQE tests were originally due to be held this month but was postponed due to the surge in cases.
The test provider said "the ongoing uncertainty about the potential for an extended period of lockdown" was behind the cancellation.
Image source, Getty ImagesWe're back for a briefing from the Health Minister Robin Swann.
The Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride and Chief Scientic Adviser Prof Ian Young will be joining him - in a socially-distanced manner, of course.
You can watch it live here (by clicking on the play button at the top of this page) and on the NI section of the BBC iPlayer.
We'll all have text updates on all the latest.