Face coverings in crowded indoor settings will remain a legal requirement this winter, First Minister of Northern Ireland Paul Givan said on Tuesday. Other restrictive measures that will remain in place include “a focus on flexible and hybrid working,” the legal requirement for risk assessments in certain settings, and the compulsory recording of the details of visitors and attendees for COVID-19 test and trace purposes. A number of restrictions will be lifted from Oct. 31, as part of the executive’s “pathway out of restrictions.” This includes the requirement to be seated in hospitality venues to drink or to eat food, the restriction on indoor dancing, social distancing mandate in hospitality settings, and forced closure of nightclubs. However, as part of the government’s “autumn/winter COVID contingency plan, COVID status certification may become compulsory “in higher-risk settings if considered appropriate and necessary,” the first minister told members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). Givan also said …