Yes you can have Xmas, say Sage boffins… in the SUMMER
WHILE you might be longing for the ghost of Christmas past, Sage boffins have suggested Brits might have to wait... until the SUMMER.
The scientists say "planning a summer family get together could replace meeting at Christmas".
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In new documents released today the Scrooge boffins' give a glimpse of the ghost of Christmas present.
They say Brits could also opt to "self quarantine" over New Year if they want to spend the festive season with family.
And they recommend giving youngsters free Netflix subscriptions or mobile phone data to encourage them to comply.
Rising Covid infections and doomsday predictions have raised fears that Christmas could be cancelled this year.
But while Boris Johnson has admitted it will be different, the Prime Minister vowed that the four-week national lockdown that started on Wednesday will automatically expire on December 2.
Mr Johnson said after that we will return to the tiered lockdown system.
Speaking yesterday at the Downing Street press conference the PM said if we all work together to put Covid “back in its box”, four weeks of restrictions would be enough for “as normal a Christmas as possible”.
These could include carrying out the activity at a later date e.g. planning a summer family get together to replace meeting at Christmas
Sage documents
The Sage documents, which were presented to ministers, say: "Whenever announcing that a particular form of social interaction needs to be avoided, then actively propose and support less risky forms of mixing.
"These could include carrying out the activity at a later date e.g. planning a summer family get together to replace meeting at Christmas.
"If people find it emotionally or practically impossible to avoid making contact with someone outside their household then they should be encouraged to make meeting that person as safe as possible.
"For example by self-quarantining before meeting (reducing contact with other people as far as possible for 14 days) and avoiding close and prolonged contact when meeting."
The guidance was published in a document entitled "positive strategies for sustaining adherence to infection control behaviours".
The paper was presented to ministers and states that the risk of infection can be reduced if people quarantine.
The paper also suggests carrying out activities outdoors and socially distanced will help stop the spread and gives examples such as "fireworks or doorstep celebrations to replace indoor celebrations".
It also states that activities can be done online rather than in person in order to minimise contact.
Hugs are also off the cards and the experts stated that people should greet each other "with a hand over heart gesture to replace embrace".
The advisers have also stated that adherence to the rules is declining among 18 to 29-year-olds.
In order to curb this, experts suggested that youngsters should be rewarded for staying at home.
It states: "Young people asked to isolate or stay at home should be provided with good financial and other support e.g. free mobile phone data, streaming and gaming".
The guidance on Christmas and socialising comes after cops warned they would go into people’s homes and break up Christmas family gatherings if they break lockdown rules.
Last week, West Midlands police and crime commissioner (PCC) David Jamieson said officers will investigate reports of rule-breaking over the festive season.
He told The Telegraph: "If we think there's large groups of people gathering where they shouldn't be, then police will have to intervene.”
But his comments sparked outrage and prompted the Home Secretary to confirm on national radio that police would not be breaking up festivities.
Priti Patel told talkRADIO: "That's a minority view and that's a police and crime commissioner expressing his own personal view and opinion.”
Meanwhile, the deputy chief medical officer warned Britain is facing a “massive spike” in coronavirus deaths on Christmas Eve.
Jonathan Van-Tam, deputy chief medical officer, is reported to have told ministers: “We’ve got to hit this hard and fast.”
Downing Street has been criticised for “bowing to pressure” from advisers and being forced to put the country into another national lockdown.
But experts say that four-weeks of tougher measures could allow Brits to celebrate Christmas with their loved-ones.
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Professor Calum Semple, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) said that lockdown would give officials "time to get test, trace and isolate processes really up to scratch".
Speaking to BBC Breakfast last week, he also said that there should be a "bit of easing around the festive activities".
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It has previously been suggested that families isolate two weeks before Christmas to enable them to meet safely in groups larger than six.
But the Department for Health have said nothing can be guaranteed at this stage.