Northern Ireland has experienced its worst year in living memory, First Minister Arlene Foster has said as she and Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill reflected on the anniversary of the first lockdown announcement.
"It's been a hugely difficult year for so many people in Northern Ireland," Ms Foster said.
A National Day of Reflection was marked across the UK and MLAs in Stormont paused for a moment's silence this afternoon.
A Belfast Cathedral remembrance service, in partnership with Marie Curie, took place this evening to remember those who lost their lives to Covid-19.
Before the service, 2,100 candles were lit inside the cathedral to mark each life lost to Covid.
"I think back to when we were told about the lockdown and I think of all the people that have lost their lives during this year, yes to Covid of course, but also those people who have passed away and who haven't been able to have the normal funerals, the normal grieving process, the normal celebration of life that would normally take place," said Ms Foster.
"I think about all of those people who have really sacrificed this year - the key workers, all of our young people, the older people who have been isolated - so it has been probably the toughest year in living memory.
"There are still some people alive who remember the Second World War, but I think it's probably been the toughest year in living memory for a lot of people.
"So, it was absolutely right that we should take a moment at 12pm to remember what has happened this year, and to hopefully look forward to better days."
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said it had been a year of "huge challenge".
"It's always useful to take a step back and actually reflect on what's been, but I also like to look towards the future and I think it's important that we give people hope that there are brighter days ahead and that we have an opportunity to get back to some semblance of normality," she said.
"I think that certainly for me whenever I reflect on the year that's been, there's certainly been many challenges, there's been many sleepless nights."
The Department of Health has reported two further deaths of patients who previously tested positive for Covid-19.
Another 174 confirmed cases of the virus were recorded in the last 24-hour reporting period.
This morning there were 159 Covid-positive confirmed inpatients in hospital, 14 of whom were in ICUs.
Ms Foster acknowledged there were things the Executive could have done differently as it responded to the pandemic.
"Obviously there is things that we would have done differently if we had known what was coming in the future but I think there will be a time to look back and reflect on all of the decisions that have been taken, how we took them, the pace in which we had to take them," she said.
"I think what was very clear to me, from executive colleagues, and of course we have our differences at time, but we all wanted, all of us, to do what was right for all of our community.
"For some of us having to close down the economy was hugely difficult. We've spent most of our political career building up the economy, building up our tourism sector and hospitality sector, and to have it closed for the best part of a year has been hugely damaging for people's livelihoods and indeed for their well being.
"We have had to take decisions for the greater good, which have been hugely, hugely difficult. I'm on record of saying that this has been the toughest year of my political life."
Ms O'Neill said there were big decisions to be made, but it had been a time "where we've demonstrated that as political leaders when we work together we actually can support our people and it's something that's hugely, for me, a very strong point over the past year".
She said balancing the need to protect lives and livelihoods had been a "nightmare".
"We're still fighting the pandemic, we're still in the middle of it, we're still having to chart our way through it and it's very challenging, very difficult to always trying to get that balance.
"I'm quite sure whenever we reflect there'll be lots of things we all could have done differently.
"For now, my focus is firmly on the future, trying to get us out of this pandemic, this space that we're in right now.
"But, I mean, there is learning. I've learned every day in this pandemic, you know constantly trying to balance lives and livelihoods the whole way through this has been been a nightmare at times to be honest."
