UK COVID restrictions to be eased over Christmas Period

By Lusa Basilio

Image courtesy of Pikrepo

The government has announced that coronavirus restrictions will be eased to allow a wider circle of family and friends to celebrate together. People across the UK will be allowed to form a ‘Christmas bubble’ of three households between the 23rd and 27th of December.

The number of people allowed per household to join a bubble is unlimited, but people will be unable join with two households on Christmas day and two different ones on the following days. People will also not be permitted to meet with their Christmas bubble in hospitality venues such as pubs and restaurants, in order to avoid the mixing of more than three households.

Travel Restrictions

Travel restrictions will be lifted everywhere in the UK to allow people to travel between nations or between tiers during the five-day Christmas celebrations. People traveling to or from Northern Ireland will be allowed an extra day on either side of that period, in order to allow them to arrange flights.

The relaxation of COVID-19 rules over Christmas will bring an opportunity for families to enjoy the holiday festivities after what has been an extremely stressful year for many. However, there are some fears over the possibility of a rise in coronavirus cases if rules are not respected, which could consequently result in the UK moving into a third lockdown.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a video message from Downing Street, “The virus doesn’t know it’s Christmas and we must all be careful”.