Coronavirus: UK may have to pay for family Christmas with tighter restrictions after the break
The IndependentSign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. And the prime minister’s deputy chief scientific adviser, Dame Angela McLean, said that if social mixing was to be allowed, the UK needs to go into Christmas week with infections “as low as possible”. Asked at a Downing Street briefing whether household mixing could be allowed if there were other trade-offs, she said: “What’s really important is we go into a festive week, when we want to mix with our friends and our family, with the number of infections in the community as low as possible.” And PHE epidemiologist Dr Susan Hopkins said: “We are very keen that we have a Christmas as close to normal as possible. “That requires all of us to make every effort over this national restriction period and even in early December to get the cases as low as possible and to reduce the risk of transmission within households and between families.” At the briefing, she said scientists had suggested that one day of greater freedom required two days of restrictions, but PHE later said Dr Hopkins "misspoke" and that the Sage advice had referred to modelling indicating that for every one day of relaxation, five days of tighter restrictions could be needed. “We are taking these tougher measures now so that, as I say, the PM has given his clear intent to allow families to spend Christmas together.” Sage member Professor John Edmunds said normal socialising activity around Christmas "all unfortunately carries a risk" and people should probably prepare for a "slightly disappointing Christmas".