Care home residents in Northern Ireland are to be prioritised in the first phase of the coronavirus vaccine rollout.
The move was confirmed today by the Health Minister Robin Swann.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine programme is due to begin on Tuesday morning.
The vaccine requires two doses administered three weeks apart.
Minister Swann said: "When it comes to clinical prioritisation, we will be closely guided by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). It has identified care home residents as a top priority group.
"It is well documented that the logistical requirements for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine pose particular challenges for care home deployment.
However, Mr Swann also confirmed that the "deployment to care homes can now proceed in the coming days".
"The solution involves mobile teams operating from the different Trust vaccination centres located across the province.
"We are currently considering how these arrangements might be extended to include over 80s in the community."
Details of how the vaccine will be administered across the health and social care sectors are due to be confirmed tomorrow.
It comes as nine further coronavirus deaths were recorded in Northern Ireland in the past 24 hours, taking the official death toll to 1,059.
397 new cases of the disease were also identified from tests on 2,186 individuals.
The average 7-day infection rate per 100,000 people in Northern Ireland is now 165.0.
Mid and East Antrim remains the area with the highest 7-day rate at 246.0, followed by Mid Ulster on 220.3.
The lowest rate is in the Ards and North Down area at 104.4, however that is an increase from recent days.
All 11 Northern Ireland council areas are again over 100 per 100,000 people.
923 Covid penalty notices issued
Almost 1,000 people have been issued with fines starting at £200 under coronavirus regulations, police figures have revealed.
Some 923 penalty notices have been handed out across Northern Ireland.
Most were issued in Belfast, 408, followed by 119 in the Derry and Strabane council area and 99 in the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon council area.
Heftier penalties for breaching the regulations were agreed by the Stormont Executive in October and came into force on 12 November.
This included an increase in the minimum fine from £60 to £200, and fines on conviction that can rise to £10,000.
The number of £1,000 fines for failing to self-isolate remained at 49 on Monday morning, a total which has not risen in several weeks.
Meanwhile, as of 9am on Monday, there were 310 PSNI officers and members of staff absent due to Covid-19, of which 251 are self-isolating.
A PSNI spokesman said the service will continue to flex its resources to meet policing demand across Northern Ireland as part of its ongoing commitment to keeping people safe.
