Six people can meet indoors from tomorrow, the Executive has confirmed as another coronavirus restriction is eased.
First Minister Arlene Foster said a group of up to six people from different households who gather indoors must continue to practise social distancing, good hand hygiene and ventilate the room and house.
The lifting of this restriction will allow informal childcare to take place.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said people should wear face coverings, limit the duration of visits and try not to hug.
"I know after spending the last three months apart, it will be a natural reaction to want to hug each other, but for now we need to keep that physical distance as much as possible to be able to keep people safe," she said.
Ms O'Neill also described the move as "a crucial development in alleviating some of the childcare pressures being felt by parents at present".
Ms Foster said if clusters develop then the Executive may instead move to a two-househould bubble where households can only gather indoors with one other.
Ms Foster said "the battle again Covid-19 is very much ongoing and we all have to remain vigilant".
She said it had been connected to the deaths of more than 800 people in Northern Ireland.
Ms Foster said she was "incredibly proud of the way we have handled this Covid-19 crisis" in protecting ourselves and others.
It comes as the Department of Health said no further deaths of people who have tested positive for coronavirus have been reported in the last 24 hours. The death toll stands at 545.
There was one new coronavirus case, taking the total to 4,871.
