It was a good news day for the Stormont Executive - but not everyone was happy.
The announcement on Thursday of a removal of many Covid-19 restrictions earlier than expected came as a relief to struggling businesses and a weary public.
But the way in which the relaxations were communicated prompted criticism from the SDLP's Nichola Mallon.
The Infrastructure Minister expressed frustration at reading leaked details of the plans in the media that morning before she had even received any Executive papers.
"If the DUP and Sinn Féin don't want other parties in the Executive, they should be up front and say so," she tweeted.
That evening on BBC's The View she accused Sinn Féin of leaking the Stormont paper and hit out at First Minister Paul Givan for making multiple radio appearances before the Executive had met.
While the Executive decisions were unanimously agreed, Ms Mallon said the lead-up was "bad government on a good day" that subjected the public to unnecessary uncertainty.
This dispute is another sign, if any more were really needed, that all parties are firmly in election mode.
Ministers obviously want to be associated with good news stories, which explains Mr Givan's enthusiasm for getting out early on the airwaves.
Likewise this week he revealed on Twitter the reduction in the Covid self-isolation period from seven days to five before the Department of Health had made any announcement.
Thursday's Covid decisions also came on the same day the first and deputy first ministers joined a photocall in the construction of a new Derry hotel in Foyle - a target constituency for both the DUP and Sinn Féin.
All publicity will be welcomed in the coming weeks as the First Minister faces a finely balanced fight to retain his seat in Lagan Valley.
The DUP holds two Assembly seats but could be fielding three candidates, with Mr Givan vying for votes alongside party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and former leader Edwin Poots who made him First Minister.
As Ms Mallon argued, the DUP taking the plaudits for relaxing restrictions could also be a distraction from the UK government's U-turn on a double-jobbing reintroduction that would have benefitted Sir Jeffrey.
"I have no doubt about it that it was used to deflect away from what's happening in the DUP and the fact that they have been dropped from on high again by the British government," she said.
The SDLP is also preparing the ground for potentially moving into opposition after May's election.
Ms Mallon said the SDLP joined the power-sharing government "in good faith", but it was difficult to say whether her party would have stayed had there not been a public health emergency.
"If we can affect the greatest level of change in government, we'll be there. If it looks like we're going to affect greater change in opposition, then we won't shy from going there either," she said.
The SDLP's complaints over Executive leaks will be of limited concern to the public. Those who get their Covid news from teatime bulletins will likely be disinterested in the wranglings behind the scenes.
Some will detect an element of sour grapes, as all parties at times seek to control the news narrative for their own political advantage.
Of course a five-party mandatory coalition during a pandemic was never going to be easy.
However, there is something inherently wrong when some media and lobby groups are perceived to have more of a seat at the Executive table than some ministers.
When the Executive was restored two years ago after a lengthy hiatus, it was supposed be with a renewed sense of cooperation. Genuine power-sharing rather than sharing out power.
The title of the deal that brought about the return of devolution described it a "new decade, new approach".
But it seems that as the Assembly election draws nearer, old habits die hard.
