Lockdown rules could be relaxed for a WEEK of Christmas freedom, but tough Covid restrictions until then

The COVID lockdown rules could be relaxed for a WEEK over Christmas, but the British will be hit by strict restrictions until the end of December.

Families will receive up to seven days of holiday freedom from December 22-28 according to new government plans.

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Boris Johnson is set to announce a nationwide relaxation on measures that allow multiple families to unite in a “bubble,” The Telegraph reports.

But this will only take place if the public adheres to the current strict lockdown, which is due to end on December 2.

The measure would allow relatives to spend several days together and 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 25 days of lockdown in the New Year.

‘Flattening the wave’

It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Britain “is heading in the right direction” when he addressed the nation on Friday.

Hancock said the peak of the second coronavirus wave is “flattening out” as 20,252 more cases and 511 new deaths were recorded.

Speaking at Covid’s # 10 press conference, he added: “These numbers are promising and show that the second peak is flattening out.

These figures are promising and show that the second peak is flattening out.

Matt hancock

“We are clearly near the peak of this second surge and the second wave.”

The Health Secretary also revealed that vaccines will begin next month if Pfizer’s vaccine is approved by the safety regulator.

Hancock said: “If the regulator approves a vaccine, we will be ready to start vaccination next month with most of the launch next year.”

The Health Secretary said that Pfizer is already providing data, with full data in the coming days and described the progress as “another important step forward.”

He added: “We are heading in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go.”

CHRISTMAS JOY

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 the prime minister 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.”

However, at a press conference on Friday, Hancock did not reveal whether the lockdown could be extended beyond the original end date of December 2.

He said ministers have yet to make a decision on Christmas, but the four nations of the UK are working together on the issue.

Deputy Medical Director Professor Jonathan Van Tamm added: “The government clearly wants to give us a break to some extent at Christmas, we as citizens want a break.

“But there are no magic numbers on Christmas days and recovery days in terms of lockdown.”

FESTIVE FREEDOM

Earlier this week, The Sun exclusively revealed that families could be allowed to mingle between households.

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.

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 six-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 students were returning to college, so we want to avoid it.”

“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 all of us to 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.

“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.”