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FOUR families could be allowed to reunite at Christmas, but England faces a 25-day lockdown in January.
Families could form social “bubbles” with up to four households during five days of “freedom” during the holiday period.
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The measure would allow relatives to spend several days together and they would not have to choose between grandparents.
But England’s Public Health officials warned that each day of easing would require “five days of stricter restrictions.”
This paves the way for a 25-day lockdown in the New Year.
Ministers are due to announce a new system of regional restrictions next week for the period after December 2.
Government scientists are pushing the three-tier system be strengthened in the run-up to Christmas to avoid an increase in infections.
But Boris Johnson wants to relax Covid’s rules over Christmas to allow families to come together “at the end of what has been an incredibly difficult year.”
Earlier this week, The Sun exclusively revealed that families could be allowed to mingle between households for five days.
Despite no final decisions being made, Whitehall sources confirmed that the prime minister was considering temporarily relaxing the Rule of Six to allow for larger Christmas gatherings.
Groups of up to three or four households could be allowed to meet, as long as they are not meeting with anyone else during the holiday period.
CHRISTMAS JOY
But it is not yet clear if there will be an upper limit on the number allowed to gather in one place during the holidays.
With Christmas Eve falling into Thursday and a bank holiday planned for Monday, December 28, ministers are targeting a five-day weekend to ease restrictions.
Young children can also be exempted from any number restrictions during the Christmas period.
Dr. Thomas House, a member of a Sage subgroup, said: “We saw how quickly the virus exploded when the students returned to the university, so we want to avoid that.
“But everything has a risk and seeing family at Christmas can be seen as an acceptable risk.”
Dr Susan Hopkins, Director of Public Health England, also said: “We are very excited that we are having as normal a Christmas as possible.”
“That requires that we all do everything possible during this period of national restriction and even in early December to reduce cases to the minimum possible and reduce the risk of transmission within households and between families.
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“The final decision will depend on the Government.”
Addressing the government’s plans for Christmas, Dame Angela McLean said: “We sent out some advice over the weekend.
“But we really don’t know what decisions have been made.”
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