Northern Ireland’s Health Minister Robin Swann says he is not convinced that enough people will wear face coverings in shops without some element of enforcement.
A Co Tyrone man who has spent the last four months shielding says he would not feel comfortable leaving his home if the wearing of face masks was not mandatory.
Speaking to UTV, Dermot Devlin said: “Making masks mandatory might make it easier for people to wear them without feeling self-conscious.
“There are many other people just like myself at are just too scared to go out.”