As people in Darwin and Alice Springs venture outside this morning, there's one accessory many may prefer to leave at home: their face mask.
Last Friday, NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner lifted lockdowns in both regions but said people would need to keep masks on in confined places until at least July 9.
He also said gyms, yoga studios and markets would stay shut until today.
These post-lockdown restrictions are due to ease at 1:00pm today, but what's the chance people will be able to rip off their masks?
Will there be an NT COVID announcement today?
Yes.
Mr Gunner and the NT's Chief Health Officer Hugh Heggie are expected to host a media conference mid-morning, but we don't know the exact time.
They'll give an update about the COVID-19 situation and confirm what the new rules will be moving forward.
Early this morning, Mr Gunner announced Territory Day celebrations would go ahead across the Northern Territory on August 29.
The event was postponed last month due to the NT's COVID outbreak.
Will mask requirements ease?
It's likely, but we won't know for sure until Mr Gunner confirms it.
Right now, people in Alice Springs and Darwin need to wear a mask if they can't keep 1.5m distance from others (so, for example, when they order a coffee at a cafe).
But there's a few reasons why we suspect restrictions will ease today.
Dr Heggie previously explained that July 9 marked 14 days (or a full replication cycle) since the first positive case in the Northern Territory.
This means the period which health authorities were most concerned about has now passed.
And in the past week (since restrictions lifted) there have been no new exposure sites listed and no traces of COVID-19 found in wastewater tests.
Mr Gunner and Dr Heggie previously hinted heavily that if these key indicators are met, restrictions would be relaxed further today.
The NT recorded three new cases yesterday. Will that change plans?
No, not really.
Case one was a man who arrived on a repatriation flight on July 6 and has been in quarantine since arriving in Darwin.
The second and third cases were both locally acquired cases, involving workers from the Tanami mine site who had been in quarantine since June 26.
Health authorities said these locally acquired cases were "no risk to the community" because the workers had been in the Howard Springs quarantine facility while infectious.
That means the three new cases are unlikely to alter the NT's plans.
Can I go to the gym and the markets this weekend?
It's likely, yes.
But we won't know for sure until Mr Gunner confirms it today.
And although markets are expected to be running this weekend, you will still need to check in when you arrive (even if you're only there for a minute) and use hand sanitiser.
Gyms and yoga studios are also likely to be given the green light to reopen this afternoon, but you'll have to check in and need to wipe off equipment as you go.
There's also expected to be limits on class sizes.
It's a good idea to stick to your bubble and keep your distance from people you don't know.
And be aware that some places may choose not to open straight away, so ring ahead and check.
Do I still need to check in?
Yes, absolutely.
Authorities say it's important because it makes things easier for contact tracers if there is an outbreak.
Just because the NT has (hopefully) made it through this outbreak, it doesn't mean there won't be others.
The Delta strain of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus which causes COVID-19 disease) is highly infectious and doesn't take long to spread, so even if you're only in a venue for a few minutes, you may still be at risk.
You will need to keep checking in for the foreseeable future, even if you're only there for a minute.
Will people in self-isolation have to stay there?
Yes, people who were identified as a close contact need to stay in isolation for 14 full days.
They were tested as they went into self-isolation, and will be retested again on day 12 to make sure they haven't tested positive to COVID-19.
The NT's two newest cases of COVID-19 returned positive results on their day 12 test, despite testing negative twice.
Can I have people over this weekend?
Yes. The current rule is you can have up to 10 people visit your house at a time.
We don't know if the Chief Minister is going to allow you to invite more people over this weekend, but stay tuned: we're sure he'll let you know today.
