Let us hope predictions of a ‘normal’ Christmas prove to be true
TODAY’S Western Morning News has something of a festive flavour on the front – more by accident than design, as two stories sharing a Christmas theme arrived like an early present.
It may feel a bit premature for pictures of Christmas trees and talk of festivities, but with gloomy stories of shortages of turkeys and toys already making headlines this month, it is good to report on more positive seasonal news.
The first marks a high note for a Westcountry business, as a Devon farm celebrates being named Tree Grower Of The Year – and will provide the festive pine for No. 10 Downing Street this year.
Marldon Christmas Tree Farm beat 319 competitors to become the Champion Tree Grower for the first time. We look forward to seeing the tree doing Devon proud in front of the Prime Minister’s residence.
The second story is Health Secretary Sajid Javid’s forecast that people should look forward to a “normal” Christmas.
We heard something along similar lines last year, before restrictions poured cold water on festivities. However, Mr Javid is confident the protection offered by vaccinations should enable people to plan for a proper festive season.
Despite a rise in cases, the Government has so far restricted the reintroduction of tougher measures, such as the compulsory wearing of masks, arguing that the data doesn’t signal the need to move to so-called Plan B.
“If the public continue to abide by the behaviours and guidance we have set out, and those eligible get their booster jabs, we believe we can further curb cases and bring rates down, along with hospitalisation and deaths,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.
The Government is keen for people to book booster jabs, with at least 6.1 million doses now given across the UK.
People who are eligible for boosters must wait six months after their second dose of a vaccine after JCVI experts said this was the “sweet spot” for maximum protection.
Jeremy Brown, professor of respiratory medicine at University College London Hospitals, who sits on the JCVI, says: “The issue with boosters is that we’re trying to make sure the booster occurs at a time when the vaccine efficacy has waned to a certain degree, not much but enough to warrant a booster, and also to ensure that we have a long-term protection that persists for as long as possible, and the gap makes a difference.”
Let us hope that, with jabs continuing apace, we can enjoy as normal a Christmas as possible.
As Mr Javid rightly says, no sensible Health Secretary would predict “exactly where we’re going to be in three months’ time, or six months’ time”. The public has learned to be wary of optimistic festive forecasts by Government, but it would be nice to think his hopes for Christmas prove to be accurate.