Half of Britons say they WON’T be meeting relatives indoors over Christmas despite ‘bubble’ loosening
- EXCLUSIVE: Poll finds half public don’t plan to meet family indoors at Christmas
- Just a third say they intend to gather with relatives despite rules being loosened
- The results underline the continuing nerves among Britons about the pandemic
Half of Britons say they will not be meeting relatives indoors over Christmas despite the ‘bubble’ loosening.
A poll for MailOnline found just a third are planning to take advantage of the exemption from coronavirus restrictions to mix indoors during the festive season.
The results of the survey by Redfield & Wilton Strategies underline the continuing nerves among the public about the pandemic.
Some 45 per cent say they are ‘actively scared’ about contracting the disease every time they go outside – and half thought the England-wde lockdown ended too soon on December 2.
The government has set out plans for special ‘bubbles’ over the festive season that will allow up to three households to mix freely in England between December 23 and 27. The relaxation will apply whatever tier areas are in.
But the government’s own medics have urged people not to use the flexibility to hug relatives ‘if you want them to survive’.
The results of the survey by Redfield & Wilton Strategies underline the continuing nerves among the public about the pandemic
Boris Johnson has declined to say whether he will personally be embracing family outside his own household, with No10 insisting it is down to personal choice.
The research for MailOnline, conducted last week, found just 34 per cent were planning to meet people from another household indoors during the period of loosening.
Half said they definitely would not be doing so. Some 16 per cent said they were not sure.
A third would be less likely to vote for a political party at a future election if it advocated dropping lockdowns altogether – as some Tory MPs would prefer.
Asked whether they were ‘actively scared’ about contracting coronavirus when they leave home, 45 per cent said they were and the same proportion said they were not.
At a Downing Street press conference last month, chief medical officer Chris Whitty said: ‘Would I want someone to see their family? Of course, that’s what Christmas is all about.
‘But would I encourage someone to hug and kiss their relatives? No I would not. It’s not against the law, and that’s the whole point – you can do it within the rules that are there but it does not make sense because you could be carrying the virus.
‘And if you’ve got an elderly relative that would not be the thing you want to do in a period where we’re running up to a point where we actually might be able to older people.
‘So I think people just have to have sense and I think this is very much what I think people will do.
‘The fact that you can do something, this is true across so many other areas of life, doesn’t mean you should.’
Chief science officer Sir Patrick Vallance added: ‘To keep numbers down don’t do things that are unnecessary this Christmas, try to make sure you avoid behaviours that would spread the disease.
Boris Johnson (pictured left last week) has declined to say whether he will personally be embracing family outside his own household, with No10 insisting it is down to personal choice. Chris Whitty (right) has urged people not to use the flexibility to hug relatives ‘if you want them to survive’
‘Make sure that if you’re in a house with other households that you’ve got it well ventilated and you take the precautions.
‘Keep distance where you can, it’s the same basic rules we need to apply and I think it’s difficult.
‘It’s not going to be a normal Christmas, but if you want to make those connections with family it has to be done in a way in which you try to make sure you don’t increase the risk of, I think Chris said the risk of hugging elderly relatives is not something to go out and do.’
Prof Whitty interjected grimly: ‘If you want them to survive to be hugged again.’