Ministers in Northern Ireland have unveiled new measures to help combat rising case numbers of coronavirus.
It comes as 3,231 new cases of the virus were confirmed there today, a jump from 2,096 cases recorded yesterday.
It is the highest ever Covid case increase reported in Northern Ireland for a 24-hour period.
This evening Stormont ministers agreed a series of restrictions due to come into force on 26 December, including the closure of nightclubs, and guidance to limit contacts with different households.
Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said nightclubs will be closed from 6am on that day.
Dancing will also be prohibited in hospitality venues, but this will not apply to weddings.
While nightclubs must close, other restrictions are coming into effect on the rest of the hospitality sector.
People must remain seated for table service, while table numbers will be limited to six.
Stormont ministers also agreed that sporting events can continue with no limits on capacity, while the work-from-home message is being bolstered and legislation introduced to require social distancing in offices and similar typed workplaces.
Weddings are exempted from the latest measures.
From December 27, the guidance is for mixing in a domestic setting to be limited to three households.
The latest Covid-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland have been branded "unacceptable and unforgivable" by a leading business representative organisation.
Belfast Chamber of Commerce heavily criticised the fact that no additional financial support package was agreed to accompany the measures.
Chief Executive Simon Hamilton, a former DUP minister in the Stormont Executive, said businesses had already suffered significant losses due to heighted consumers fears about the prospect of a lockdown.
"For weeks now, businesses who have experienced a difficult 2021, have been subjected to a drip feed of speculation and scaremongering about possible lockdowns and further restrictions," he said.
"As the rhetoric ramped up, the impact on businesses was very real as millions of pounds of trade disappeared, causing owners and their teams huge distress.
"Today, the Executive has added insult to injury. As well as having to deal with the impact of additional measures, businesses haven't been offered a single penny in financial support.
"That is simply unacceptable and unforgivable."
