Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride has said that limiting restrictions on travel to help stop the spread of Covid-19 would just not work - but encouraged everyone to reduce their contacts before Christmas.
For a week-long period from December 22, people will be permitted to travel to and from Northern Ireland to other parts of the United Kingdom over the festive season.
Concerns have been raised that the new variant of the virus found in the south of England could be carried by travellers into Northern Ireland.
However, Dr McBride stressed that the new strain does not cause more severe illness and said that people should look at the advice being given in their particular jurisdictions, as London prepares to enter tighter regulations.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride has said an increase in positive Covid-19 cases over the last two weeks means “we are not where we need to be” in the run up to the relaxation of regulations.
From December 23 until December 27, people from up to three households will be permitted to form a Christmas bubble.
Meanwhile, Chief Scientific Advisor Dr Ian Young explained that the Mid and East Antrim Council area is currently sitting at 300 cases per 100,000 of the population - 100 cases higher than anywhere else in Northern Ireland.
He added that the figures for Belfast traffic congestion during the two week circuit-breaker lockdown was simply too high and showed that people did not stay at home.