The Northern Ireland Executive is to meet tomorrow to discuss the lifting of some coronavirus restrictions, Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said.
The current measures are due to be lifted on Friday, but public health chiefs advised that bars and restaurants should remain closed for a further two weeks.
Ms O'Neill suggested that there could be some "flexibility" shown to the hospitality sector, but said so-called "wet pubs" would remain shut.
She told the BBC the NI Executive would not keep restrictions in place longer than was necessary and would examine which areas could be safely reopened.
"We believe there is some flexibility within the current restrictions that we could maybe open up things," said Ms O'Neill.
"So, for example, close-contact services - is there space for us to be able to open those things up again from next Friday, in a very regulated way of course?
"The restrictions very much focus on the hospitality sector right now so we're looking at that wide family.
"Across hospitality, you've everything from a cafe or a coffee shop, right through to a nightclub and they're two very different scenarios.
"We're looking at whether there is any space or scope there to lift some of those things in a graduated way over the course of the next number of weeks."
Ms O'Neill said alcohol was a factor in considering what can reopen, because it causes people to lower their defences.
She said the Executive is considering allowing cafes and restaurants to open without alcohol, while bars remain closed.
Meanwhile seven more people have died from coronavirus in Northern Ireland, taking the official death toll to 781.
Stormont's Department of Health also confirmed 420 positive cases from tests on 2,386 people, taking the total number of cases to 42,917.
There are 396 people with Covid-19 in hospitals, with 55 of these patients in intensive care units, 41 of whom are on ventilators.
The 7-day infection rate per 100,000 in Northern Ireland is now 207.7.
Derry - Strabane is again the area with the highest infection rate on 279.4; followed by Mid Ulster on 273.9, then Lisburn and Castlereagh on 228.0. The rate in Belfast is 223.6.
Separately, the PSNI training college has closed for deep cleaning after four student officers tested positive for Covid-19.
The college, on Garnerville Road in Belfast, is expected to shut for two days after the first positive case was found yesterday.
In addition to the four student officers who tested positive, a further 15 have been required to self-isolate.
Head of the college Chief Superintendent Emma Bond said: "There are robust measures in place at the college to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.
"However our officers and staff are also members of the community and the reality is that we face the same risks from this pandemic as all other residents of Northern Ireland.
"We expect the college to remain closed for two days while staff work remotely.
"Where training can be delivered remotely we will facilitate this and our student officer team is exploring options for how we can adapt to continue to deliver training to accommodate those who are self isolating."
Additional reporting PA
