LONDON (AP) – The consensus in the four UK countries on the planned relaxation of the coronavirus restrictions over Christmas appears to be fraying – even though they all agreed on Wednesday to maintain the laws surrounding the relaxation.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the four countries had “unanimously” agreed to enforce the special Christmas rules, but it appears that the guidelines in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland could be different at the start of the planned five days. relaxation. from December 23.
Following a Wednesday meeting of leaders from the four countries, the Christmas easing law will remain in effect, allowing three different households to form a holiday bubble through December 27.
Johnson told lawmakers there was an agreement at the meeting that “we should basically continue with existing regulations because we don’t want to criminalize people’s long-drawn-out plans.”
While the law does not necessarily change, guidelines may differ in the four countries. Welsh Prime Minister Mark Drakeford has already said his government’s recommendation is that only two households should come together.
Concerns about the planned easing have intensified in recent days. With new infections on the rise in many places, many fear that the relaxation will only escalate infections and deaths and put too much pressure on the already stressed National Health Service.
Johnson said it’s important for people to properly judge what’s right for them and their loved ones.
“We think it is absolutely essential that people exercise a high degree of personal responsibility at this very, very difficult time, especially when interacting with the elderly, and avoid contact with the elderly as much as possible,” he said.
The looming temporary easing comes days after restrictions have been tightened in many parts of the country. On Wednesday, London and the nearby areas entered the highest level of local restrictions in England – level 3 – which required pubs and restaurants to close again, aside from takeout, and more curbs were placed for different households meeting. Other areas in England, including the cities of Manchester and Birmingham, will find out later Wednesday if they will be moved to Tier 2 restrictions.
Community secretary Robert Jenrick said the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine developed by US-based Pfizer and German company BioNTech had changed the story since the Christmas bubble decision was made last month. The UK became the first country in the world to use the vaccine on December 8, which has an efficacy rate of about 95%.
“Hope is being given that those people can be vaccinated early in the new year, if not earlier. So why not wait a few weeks or months to get family together when you can do it safely in 2021? he told BBC radio.
Britain’s new vaccine minister, Nadhim Zahawi, said on Wednesday that 137,897 people had been injected since the vaccinations began. They must all come back for a follow-up within three weeks.
“A really good start to the vaccination program,” he said in a tweet.
The government, which so far mainly provides the vaccine free of charge in hospitals, focuses first on nursing home staff and people over 80. Nursing home residents are now also being vaccinated after issues related to the transportation of the vaccine, which are stored at super-cold temperatures, have been addressed.
Despite the update, questions remain about how many people can be vaccinated on any given day and which proportion of people offered the vaccine agree to receive an injection.
To date, 800,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine are known to be in the UK and another 5 million are expected this year, half the original expectation.
Other vaccines, from American biotechnology company Moderna and one developed by the University of Oxford and British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, are currently under review by UK regulators.
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