While markets have been cancelled, families will still be able to meet for Christmas according to a Cabinet minister although probably not in gatherings of large numbers of people.
Families may be allowed to meet at Christmas despite Covid
George Eustice, Environment Secretary, has assured people in England that they would be allowed to have a “good” Christmas despite the fact that Covid restrictions are likely to still be in place during the holidays. During an appearance on BBC Breakfast, the Cavinet minister said: “Christmas is an important time for families, we recognise that. I’m sure that we will be able to have a good Christmas and that families will be able to meet but they may not be able to get together in the larger groups that they normally would.”
On a less assuring note, the environment secretary said “it’s too early to say” what Covid rules will be in place by Christmas. Opposition parties have called for Covid restrictions to be the same across the UK this Christmas although with devolved governments having made their own policies so far it is difficult to see how that will be possible.
Scientists seem to disapprove of the positive message with Sage member Sir Mark Walport declaring that there is “little to feel reassured about”, and that “there are still many people that are vulnerable”. During an appearance on BBC’s Today programme, the former chief scientific advisor said it’s “certainly not unrealistic” to think there could be 25,000 people in hospital with Covid by the end of next month.
Walport did admit that “we are better” at treating coronavirus but that the country is “still relatively early in the second wave” and there is a “significant lag” between contracting Covid and then possibly dying.