As Stormont strengthens its work from home message in a bit to curb the spread of Covid-19, ministers also advised the public to limit their social contacts and wear face coverings in indoor settings.

The first and deputy first minister, along with the health minister, spoke on Tuesday afternoon.

You can read more on the announcement and reaction to it here.

The first and deputy first ministers said people needed to take personal responsibility.

"Our objective is to keep everywhere open and safe," said Michelle O'Neill.

"This is our best chance - working with us, working together."

Paul Givan added: "The executive very much want to keep businesses open through the Christmas period because we absolutely recognise the hardship that people faced over the last 18 months.

"We can all pay our part to ensure that that can happen, by taking personal responsibility... so we can ensure we get through the next number of months."

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The executive has met on a number of occasions in the past week to discuss rising Covid-19 transmission, Paul Givan says.

The first minister says the meetings have been respectful, "even when there has been some disagreement, no one has got angry".

"We don't have the luxury of being able to get angry," he adds.

He says ministers "need to be calm, we need provide that steady leadership and obviously very determined to take measures that we believe will get the widest possible consensus and support from the community".

"That's why today we're standing her collectively, we're putting out the message jointly, appealing to everyone to play their part."

Northern Ireland's infection rate has been climbing over the past week or so - it is the highest in the UK, slightly above Wales, and has just overtaken the Republic of Ireland.

In England, since Covid restrictions lifted on 19 July, people have no longer been asked to work at home but businesses still have a legal duty to manage risks to staff and customers.

Most Covid restrictions have also been lifted in Wales, but employers are still encouraged to let people work from home where possible.

In Scotland, most restrictions have been lifted, but working from home where possible is advised. The government wants employers to consider long-term "hybrid" working models.

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BBC News NI understands that a debate on the Covid passport regulations could happen at Stormont on 6 or 7 December.

The DUP - which had voted against the plan coming into place - had asked for MLAs to be allowed to debate the regulations.

In his paper to executive ministers last Thursday, Health Minister Robin Swann had then recommended allowing a debate in the assembly on the issue.

Covid-19 vaccine passports are likely to be introduced in Northern Ireland on 29 November, according to the Department of Health.

Their use will see people providing a passport or proof of a negative Covid test result to access venues like nightclubs, pubs and restaurants.

A two-week grace period to allow time for people to adjust to the change will last until 13 December.

But where do you get one, how do you use it and when do you use it?

Find the answers here.

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Paul Givan says the executive has agreed to take the issue of Covid-19 certifications to take into the assembly.

This means there will be a vote before they come into effect.

"My position on that and that of my party has not changed," the first minister adds.

Last week the DUP said the Covid-19 passport plan is ministers serving a "distraction dish" that will not relieve the pressures on hospitals.

"There are differences at times in what the best approach is, both in the political institutions and right across the societies.

"What I'm appealing for is individually we can all make decisions that will make a cumulative effort. You may not support a mandatory passport, but you can support being vaccinated and getting your booster jab. You can practise good hand hygiene, you can try to limit those contacts in indoor settings.

"All of us can take individual actions."

Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political correspondent

What we're seeing today is an attempt by the executive to reset the messaging and remind people of the basics in tackling the virus.

We know the pressures on the health service in Northern Ireland and while we aren't seeing a return to tougher restrictions yet, ministers say it's clear some kind of intervention is required.

There was no mention of a return to lockdown from ministers today, but they also can't rule anything out.

The health minister has already warned that if we don't get a grip on Covid in the next two to three weeks, hospitality could again face closure at Christmas.

That, it must be said, remains the worst, worst case scenario and ministers will be reluctant to go there.

They'll hope the vaccination programme and ramping up of the booster programme in the next few weeks will help.

Ministers are also conscious of making decisions affecting businesses that might require more financial support - the Treasury stepped in on previous occasions but that seems unlikely this year.

The executive clearly hopes people will pay attention in order to avoid a Covid crisis over Christmas.

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The chief executive of Retail NI said the decision to strengthen work-from-home guidance would have a "significant knock-on effect on our local high streets and independent retailers who rely on footfall from office workers"

“The Christmas period is traditionally one of the busiest periods for many businesses, especially smaller retailers who are the lifeblood of our towns and cities," said Glyn Roberts.

"If the work-from-home guidance continues, the inevitable loss in trade for our high street retailers will be damaging.

"It is imperative that the Executive works alongside the retail sector and implements a support package to local traders affected by today’s decision as a matter of urgency."

Asked whether the health service is fit for purpose, Robin Swann said the challenges we’ve seen in our health service “aren’t solely caused by Covid, they were there before Covid.”

The health minister said the New Decade New Approach deal promised 300 nursing places bringing "our nursing trainees to 1,325 per year and nurses are going through those processes now".

“The NHS has always been challenged at this time of year, but especially due to the pressures of Covid,” he said.

He said there is a long term determination by ministers to “have a health service that delivers.”

The executive is "acutely aware" of the impact the pandemic has had on businesses, in particular the hospitality industry, according to Paul Givan.

The first minister says "we have to protect both lives and livelihoods".

"We're working on the basis of having things open and safe," he says.

"We're not working on the basis of wanting to close things down.

"I want our hospitality to be open right through the Christmas period."

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He says that by adhering to Covid-19 safety measures, the public can work to keep hospitality open "because nobody wants to have a position where businesses are faced with closure".

He adds that "there isn't the furlough scheme or the hundreds of millions coming from London" in terms of financial support.

"I don't think we're in a space where we can be looking at closures."

Ms O'Neill said she’s asking people to redouble efforts to prevent further interventions and “none of us want to be in that position”.

“There’s a certain sense of déjà vu of where we are today,” she said.

The deputy first minister said the rollout of the vaccination means we are in a very different place to where we were this time last year.

“The predictions and the modelling tells us we could be in a very difficult position by mid December if we don’t reinforce the messages,” she said.

“We set out our winter plan that we had tools if we needed them and whenever health advice came forwards and said ‘now’s the time we need them’ we responded.”

Health Minister Robin Swann said the measures would help keep society open and safe.

"We know what we need to do, we know what has worked in the past, but we also know in comparison to this time last year we also have the benefit of the vaccination and booster programme," he added.

The Department of Health has recorded 1,476 new cases of Covid-19.

There have been four coronavirus-related deaths reported in the past 24 hours.

As well as urging people to take up the vaccine and work from home where possible, the executive is also asking people to:

• Limit your social contacts – this will minimise opportunities for the virus to spread.
• Meet outdoors where you can – it’s safer than meeting indoors.
• If meeting indoors, make sure the space is well ventilated – good ventilation is critical in reducing risk of transmission when indoors.
• Wear a face covering in crowded or indoor settings – face coverings remain a vital mitigation and it is critical that people continue to use them in all circumstances where they are required.
• Keep washing your hands or use a sanitiser.

Paul Givan says that, at the start of September, there were 135 Covid-19 outbreaks in nursing homes across Northern Ireland but, as of yesterday, there are 35.

Mr Givan adds that there has been "a very significant deduction" in the number of people aged over 75 being admitted to hospital too.

"The evidence shows that being vaccinated and getting your booster is helping to reduce the chance of you being seriously ill and requiring hospitalisation."

Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill says it is a moment to “reset and refocus on where we are”.

“These are uncertain times, but now is the time for action if we want to achieve best possible outcome right now," she said.

Ms O'Neill said this is “our best chance to avoid restrictions down the line” and that’s why we’re asking people to comply with certain measures.

She appealed to those who can work from home to “please work from home and for employers to facilitate that”.

“We want to avoid difficult decisions we took this time last year and I understand how difficult it is for the wider public," she added.

First Minister Paul Givan opens by saying that executive ministers are "all very much united in asking the public to play its part, along with us as politicians, and that we can take every effort to try to minimise the transmission rate of the coronavirus".

He encourages people to meet outdoors, keep rooms ventilated and work from home, where possible.

The DUP minister also urges the public to get vaccinated against Covid-19 and get booster jabs when offered.

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has again reminded the travelling public of the importance of wearing face coverings on public transport including buses, trains and the Strangford Ferry.

"We all must remain vigilant and continue to play our part in preventing the spread of Covid-19," she said.

"This includes adhering to the Face Covering Regulations by wearing a face covering and following the advice of public transport operators."

Image source, PA Media

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People in Northern Ireland are being urged by Stormont ministers to work from home "where possible" in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Current advice already states that people should work from home where they can , externalbut ministers said they were "strengthening" that message.

If follows an executive meeting about how to tackle rising infections.

Ministers are also advising the public to limit their social contacts and wear face coverings in indoor settings.

Northern Ireland's infection rate has been climbing over the past week or so - it is the highest in the UK, slightly above Wales, and has just overtaken the Republic of Ireland.

In a joint statement after Tuesday's meeting, executive ministers said Covid-19 had "once again taken a firm grip across our society".

Read more here.