The Prime Minister has suggested he could suspend the ‘rule of six’ on social gatherings to allow families to spend time together on Christmas Day.
Boris Johnson said the Government will do ‘everything we can’ to ensure the holiday is as ‘normal as possible’, despite no sign of the outbreak ending by then.
When asked on ITV if he was saying a family of five ‘can’t have both grandparents around for Christmas’, he said: ‘We’re not saying that at all’.
He was then asked if this mean he will ‘let them off the rules’, and responded: ‘Listen to me, we’re doing everything we can, everything we can to make sure Christmas for everybody is as normal as possible.’
It comes after the UK’s R rate – measuring the speed at which coronavirus reproduces – rose to a range of 1.3 and 1.6, meaning every 10 carriers will infect between 13 and 16 other people.
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When asked what criteria the country would have to meet to allow Christmas dinners of more than six people, Johnson said: ‘The answer is that we have to get the R, the reproduction rate of the virus, below 1.
‘The best way to get the R below 1… and I totally understand people feel things are inconsistent.
‘If we can just follow that guidance… then we can get the R down… I ask people to stick with it if you possibly can.’
It comes after the Prime Minister said plans were being put together to allow students to get home safely in time for Christmas, which could include a two-week isolation period before travelling.
At least 50 universities have had confirmed outbreaks with around 1,800 cases among students and staff, according to a recent survey.
At least 770 Northumbria University students have tested positive in the biggest single outbreak in the UK, despite local lockdown measures in the North East.
In an interview with the The Sun last week, a Government source said: ‘The PM is anxious to avoid being portrayed as Scrooge.
‘He’s fully aware that millions of people are making big sacrifices to defeat this virus and is considering ways to allow them to experience the joy of Christmas for at last part of the holiday season.’
There are currently no official rules in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland stating that university students who are not under self-isolation cannot leave their accommodation to return home now or at any other time.
But this could all change by Christmas if the UK’s outbreak worsens, meaning the Government is still working on a contingency plan to save the festive season for students.
Scottish students have been told that they can return home from their university accommodation so long as it is on a ‘long-term’ basis.
Students have been urged by the Scottish government to remain living at university to lower the risk of spread.
However, if they do decide to permanently move back home, they have been asked to follow coronavirus self-isolating rules and not use public transport.
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