It’s not too late to ditch your Christmas plans to avert coronavirus disaster, scientists say

Warning that infection rates could double over festive period

Shoppers walk under the Christmas lights on Regents Street in London on December 6, 2020 (AFP via Getty Images)

It is "not too late" for families to ditch their Christmas plans to help avert a coronavirus disaster, a committee of scientists has warned.

At a briefing on Friday scientists from Independent Sage warned that infection rates were heading into a "dire situation" and that the government's Christmas relaxation was "a mistake".

Boris Johnson and the leaders of the devolved governments this week confirmed that would go ahead with the temporary rule change to allow people to see each other over the festive period.

But with just days to go until household mixing restrictions are lifted, members of Independent Sage urged people to stay at home where possible.

"Whatever your plans are, it's not too late to change them given the seriousness of the situation," said Professor Susan Michie, a senior health psychologist from University College London.

She said that if people did need to meet other households they should meet "outdoors not indoors", or in a well-ventilated space, and to act as if "somebody in your midst is infectious".

Those that could should also self-isolate 10 days before meeting up with anyone, she added.

Presenting an analysis of the latest data on Friday afternoon, mathematical biologist Dr Kit Yates warned that infections could "easily double" over the Christmas break.

"The situation across the country is deteriorating quite rapidly," he said.

"This is not a good situation, cases are high and they are rising rapidly.

"Even our toughest set of measures are not enough to slow this virus down, and with Christmas mixing on the horizon we find this extremely worrying."

It comes as  president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Katherine Henderson, described a "real perfect storm" for hospitals as they try to balance increased numbers of Covid-19 patients with non-Covid work and a lack of beds.

"It seems to me we need to do whatever it takes to get the situation firmly under control so that we can vaccinate people and then move forward," she told the PA news agency.

The prime minister has not ruled out a third national lockdown after Christmas to bring the virus under control following the festive relaxation.

Under the current plans, the government will allow three households to mix together between 23 and 27 December.

Labour leader Keir Starmer has said it would be a "step in the right direction" to cut the number of households allowed to mix from two to three.