Ministers have “no plans” to scrap the five-day Christmas pause in Covid restrictions, despite a sharp rise in infections in some areas.
Downing Street has urged caution over the festive season, however, as health secretary Matt Hancock looks set to move London into the toughest level of coronavirus restrictions, tier 3.
Three households can be together for five days between December 23 and 27 regardless of what tier the area is in or whether people isolated, the government has said.
Concern is growing among scientists that the temporary lifting of restrictions over Christmas could allow the pandemic spiral out of control, however.
Business secretary Alok Sharma defended the Christmas freedoms in an interview with Sky News on Monday, saying families “come together” during the break.
“I think it is right and balanced and proportionate and that is not going to be changing.”
The prime minister’s official spokesperson underlined also that Boris Johnson had set out the Christmas rules, but said the public “should remain cautious” and “follow guidelines, not just to keep themselves safe but others safe and to keep the transmission of the virus down over the Christmas”.
When pressed on the issue, the spokesperson said there were “no plans” to change the rules.
The latest government figures, released on Friday, showed that the Covid-19 “R rate” rose on Friday to between 0.9 and 1, up from the previous week’s estimate of between 0.8 to 1.
If R is greater than 1, the epidemic is generally seen to be growing. If R is less than 1 the epidemic is shrinking.
A number of scientists have raised fears over the threat of a third wave in January due to the festive rules.
“If people aren’t cautious, then we will pay for our Christmas parties with January and February lockdowns,” said professor Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh told the Guardian. “With a vaccine just weeks away, why risk infecting vulnerable and elderly people we love
Sharma suggested in an interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Monday that people can take extra precautions if they wanted.
He said: “If people feel that they would be safer not doing that, that is up to them.
“I know on your programme people have talked about ‘families will hug’ but I also know that there are people who have taken a conscious decision that, whilst they may have their elderly parents come over Christmas, they will ensure that they don’t hug them.”
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