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A government minister told Sky News that it is too early to plan for Christmas, amid reports that could allow households to mingle for several days during the holiday period.
Commerce Secretary Alok Sharma refused to let himself go COVID-19 rules for the upcoming holiday season when Kay Burley asked him about it on Wednesday.
He said, “Christmas, of course, is going to happen whatever happens. I would love to have my family members around, but we just have to wait and see where we are.”
A Downing Street source told Sky News that “no decisions have been made.”
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‘We want families to get together at Christmas’
His comments come after The Sun reported that ministers are considering allowing families to choose a small number of homes to socialize indoors exclusively for five days, beginning on Christmas Eve.
But it would mean there will be no mixing of households when the national shutdown ends in England on December 2, with all parts of the country under at least Level 2 restrictions, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Earlier this week, government adviser Dr Susan Hopkins suggested that England might have to toughen up your level system when national restrictions come to an end.
Test and Trace’s interim epidemiologist and medical director said Level 1 rules “had very little effect” on maintaining coronavirus cases below.
The key difference between Level 1 and the higher levels was that domestic mixing was allowed indoors, as long as in groups of six people or less.
Prime Minister Boris johnson it has repeatedly stated its intention to return England to its previous localized tier system once the national lockdown ends, but the measures are likely to differ somewhat from before.
Stores and other businesses await news on when they can reopen
While Downing Street will decide on a blockade end package for England later this month, what happens during the holiday period for the UK’s four nations is still under consideration.
Welsh residents have been strongly advised not to mix with people they do not live indoors since their “circuit breaker” lockdown ended, and the same will be when Northern Ireland ends later this week.
In Scotland, Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced Tuesday that 11 local authority areas will undergo the toughest Level 4 measurements in the country from Friday through December 11.
The “short and sharp” restrictions are “specifically intended to have an impact before Christmas and the most challenging winter period,” he said.
Today, his deputy John Swinney told Kay Burley that the current rules “will allow all of us to proceed to enjoy and appreciate the connections we all want to have with family at Christmas.”
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Hancock wants a ‘portfolio’ of vaccines
Reports that the first round of Pfizer / BioNTech vaccines could be launched in mid-December had raised hopes for a more “normal” Christmas, but the holiday period remains uncertain.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick told Sky News on Tuesday that Parliament will vote on which system will be imposed in England beyond December 2.
He said it is his “hope and expectation” that England “will return to the tiered system” but did not reveal any plans for Christmas.
