People shouldn’t go out over Christmas as it’s ‘not worth the risk’ of catching coronavirus, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.
As more than two-thirds of England is set to be plunged into tier three measures as of tomorrow, the WHO has warned ‘the safest thing to do right now is to remain at home’. The organisation’s regional director for Europe, Dr Hans Kluge said: ‘There remains a difference between what you are being permitted to do by your authorities and what you should do.’ In a statement, he added: ‘We have a few more months of sacrifice ahead and can behave now in a way that collectively we are proud of.
When we look back at these unprecedented times, I hope we all felt we acted with a spirit of shared humanity to protect those in need.’ It comes after fears stricter measures might be needed after Christmas, with suggestions of the introduction of a fourth tier of restrictions or even a third national lockdown. There are concerns the relaxation of measures to form ‘bubbles’ of three households for five days over the festive period. Dame Donna Kinnair, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, warned this could lead to an ‘unrelenting tsunami’ of cases.
After a difficult year, it is everybody’s instinct to want to be together and see loved ones – especially those who live far apart or feel isolated. But what is at stake is coming into sharp focus,’ she said. ‘Travelling and family visits associated with this time of year will undoubtedly lead to more cases, more pressure on NHS and care services, and more deaths. ‘By turning the second and third waves into an unrelenting tsunami, we would begin 2021 in the worst possible way.’ She said nurses would not enjoy Christmas ‘knowing what awaits them in January’ and urged the Government to be ‘clearer about the risks – not just the rules’. ‘This virus isn’t taking Christmas off and nor should we,’ she added.
