Regulations made by the Department of Health and laid before the Assembly under section 25Q (Emergency procedure) of the Public Health Act (Northern Ireland) 1967, for approval of the Assembly before the expiration of 28 days beginning with the day on which they are made.
Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland
2021 No. 274
Public Health
The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment) (No.6) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021
Made at 11.15 a.m. on 30th September 2021
Laid before the Assembly at 12.15 p.m. on 30th September 2021
Coming into operation at 6.00 p.m. on 30th September 2021

The Department of Health, makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 25C(1), (3)(c), (4)(d) and 25F(2) of the Public Health Act (Northern Ireland) 1967.
Formerly the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety; see 2016 c. 5 (N.I.), s.1(5).
1967 c. 36 (N.I.). Part 1A was inserted by section 48 of, and Schedule 18 to, the Coronavirus Act 2020 (c.7).
These Regulations are made in response to the serious and imminent threat to public health which is posed by the incidence and spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Northern Ireland.
The Department of Health considers that the restrictions and requirements imposed by these Regulations are proportionate to what they seek to achieve, which is a public health response to that threat.
In accordance with section 25Q of that Act the Department of Health is of the opinion that, by reason of urgency, it is necessary to make these Regulations without a draft having been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the Assembly.

Citation and commencement
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment) (No.6) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 and shall come into operation at 6pm on 30 September 2021.

Amendment of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020
2. (1) The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 are amended as follows—
S.R. 2020 no.151 as amended by S.R. 2020 Nos. 164, 220, 233 and 253 and S.R. 2021 No. 96, 131, 216, 219 and 250.
(2) At the end of Regulation 4A(2)(j) for the full stop substitute “; or”.
(3) After Regulation 4A(2)(j) insert—

“(k) by a person seated in a relevant place, while actively consuming food and drink (including intoxicating liquor).”

(4) In the Schedule, at the end of sub-paragraph 2(3) insert “and”.
(5) In the Schedule, at the end of sub-paragraph 2(4) replace “, and” with a full stop.
(6) In the Schedule omit sub-paragraph 2(5).
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health at 11.15 am on 30th September 2021
(L.S.)
Robin Swann
Minister of Health

EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 by clarifying that a person is exempt from the requirement to wear a face covering in a relevant place while actively consuming food and drink (including intoxicating liquor).
No regulatory impact assessment has been prepared for these Regulations.