Stormont ministers are due to meet later on Thursday before the end of the two-week lockdown in the North of Ireland.
Tighter restrictions put in place on November 27 to curb the spread of Covid-19 will end at 23:59 pm on Thursday.
Derry and Strabane has been in lockdown since October 5
From midnight non-essential retail, close-contact services such as hairdressers, and some parts of the hospitality sector can resume trading from Friday.
But the health minister said Northern Ireland was entering a “potentially dangerous phase” of the pandemic.
Speaking on Wednesday, Robin Swann warned: “There is a real risk that over the festive season discipline will slip further.”
With the easing of the restrictions, many hospitality businesses, including restaurants, cafes and hotels, can reopen their doors on Friday but must be closed at 23:00 each day.
Pubs that do not serve food will have to remain shut.
The end of the lockdown also means:
Hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons can reopen but visits to them are by appointment only
Churches can resume services, while weddings and funerals will have their cap of 25 people lifted
Gyms can reopen for individual training but not for classes
Sports training and matches can resume at all levels
Up to 500 spectators can attend outdoor sporting events
The Stormont executive has been advised that if the number of coronavirus cases rises sharply in the next few weeks, restrictions would need to be reimposed before the new year.
On Tuesday, Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill did not rule out the possibility of such a move.
She said the executive could not provide “cast-iron guarantees” to the public about whether or not repeated interventions were needed.
“I hope we don’t have to get to the point where we have to bring in more restrictions but we have to keep everything on the table,” she added.
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