Flattening Covid cases could see families gather at Christmas, says Hancock
Flattening Covid-19 cases could mean Britain eases its distancing measures to allow families to gather for Christmas, Matt Hancock has said.
The health minister is working with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for a UK-wide approach to rules for Christmas.
England has been under lockdown for two weeks following a rise in coronavirus cases and deaths. Hancock said the lockdown was helping to flatten the number of cases ahead of the Christmas holidays.
“There are encouraging signs that the number of cases is starting to flatten, and that the lockdown that we brought in earlier this month is working,” he told Sky News.
The lockdown is due to ease on 2 December, but ministers have not ruled out an extension if necessary.
Asked about his own Christmas plans, Hancock said he was currently planning a small Christmas within the existing rules, but that he hoped there would be some relaxation, even if some restrictions had to remain in place.
“It of course won’t be like a normal Christmas, there will have to be rules in place,” he said. “But we hope that they’ll allow for a bit more of that normal Christmas that people really look forward to.”