‘Virus actions now will determine Christmas’

The British Medical Association council chair said what the Government does now in terms of infection control will determine what happens at Christmas.

It comes as a number of areas in the UK are put into a Tier 3 lockdown due to a surge in confirmed CO VID -19 cases.

Asked if the Government should temporarily relax restrictions at Christmas or if that would risk a rise in infections, Dr Cha and N ag paul told Sky News’ sS ophy Ridge on Sunday, October 25:“I think the most important thing is what the Government does today, now.

“If the Government can have a coherent approach to ensure that there is proper infection control measures in society when people go out to work, when people go outside.

“At the end of the day there is actually a very simple message here – this virus cannot spread if people don’t mix and it is possible – we’ve shown during the first peak–that it is possible to bring the infection down.”

He said a return to normality around that time “won’t be normal as usual, it will be a new norm where we have to work and mix within infection control parameters”.

He added :“What the Government does today will determine what happen sat Christmas and what the public behaviour is today will determine the infection in the weeks and months to come.”

National clinical director Professor Jason Leitch said large family gathering s were unlikely to be held on the holiday due to the prevalence of coronavirus in Scotland.