Families could be spending Christmas together under new plans

It was reported that the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) are modelling how allowing larger groups of people to mix - more than the original 'rule of six', would affect Covid-19 rates.

Health bosses are now reportedly eyeing up a five-day period in which households could mix from Christmas Eve, December 24.

The news comes after Professor Susan Michie, a member of the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), last week urged the public to resist breaking current rules, to “be in a position” to spend the festive period with loved ones.

Documents released by Sage last Friday warned that a return to the tiered system of coronavirus restrictions will see infections rise again - and that the next two weeks of the lockdown are "absolutely crucial" in curbing the spread of the virus.

Ministers are fearing that families may ignore the rules over the festive period and hope they can thrash out a plan with the leaders of all the nations of the UK.

Speaking at a briefing for journalists last month, aNo 10 spokesman confirmed that the Prime Minister had been "clear previously that he is hopeful that in many ways we could be able to get some aspects of our lives back to normal by Christmas", adding they were ambitious that families could celebrate the festive season together.

Despite England's national lockdown due to automatically expire on December 2, the tier system will still ban indoor household mixing in tiers one and two.

This would have to be relaxed to allow any festive celebrations to take place this year that involved people from more than one house.

Number 10 yesterday told the Sun: ‘We are looking at ways to ensure that people can spend time with close family over Christmas at the end of what has been an incredibly difficult year.’

"A number of different options are thought to be under discussion and children under 12 may be exempted from limits on numbers, but no firm decisions are thought to have been decided yet."

The proposed period would run from Christmas Eve, that falls on a Thursday to the planned Bank Holiday on Monday, December to allow a short lifting of a ban on gathering in homes.

However, it is unlikely that the households that choose to join together would be able to mix with others outside that grouping during the festive period.

And ex-Sage scientist Prof Neil Ferguson previously told the BBC there are “ways of going part way” in allowing families to meet over Christmas despite the ongoing pandemic.

However, Jeremy Farrar, who sits on the Sage committee that advises the government, last month warned it would be a "tough" Christmas.