Dr Hilary Jones has warned that some families may need to spend Christmas apart unless a coronavirus vaccine is found.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain this morning, ITV's resident health and Covid-19 expert stressed to viewers that the most vulnerable groups will still need to self isolate even if lockdown measures are eased as the virus will still be circulating, the Mirror Online reports.
"Easing the lockdown for the most high risk groups would be potentially lethal because the virus is still going to be circulating," Dr Hilary told hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid.
"There may be a second peak before the winter even, and it's quite possible that the most vulnerable will need to continue to self isolate for some considerable time until we have a vaccine."
Dr Hilary's warning comes as the government are being pushed to reveal their plans to end lockdown, with some experts arguing it should be over by late summer.
However, Dr Hilary is emphasising that elderly people should still be taking precautions all the way up to Christmas this year to keep themselves safe.
Coronavirus is particularly deadly for older people and those with underlying health conditions.
Speaking to TalkRadio's Dan Wooton on Monday evening, Dr Hilary explained: "It's so difficult to plan ahead, this is such a new virus, we are learning about how it behaves within society in every country around the world.
"Every population and every country are seeing different things with this virus.
"Here in the UK we will undoubtedly have a lifting of restrictions in lockdown at some point and then we will have to see how things develop from there and how the NHS is coping and how many new cases we are seeing.
"There is the prospect towards the end of the year when Christmas arises of still a necessity to protect the elderly who are most vulnerable."
He went on to explain that Italy, one of the hardest hit countries, has a strong culture of intergenerational care - and this resulted in younger people transmitting the virus to their older relatives.
"We might have to consider a Christmas that is different to Christmases that we have had before and enjoyed," he added.
"I think we might have to accept that visits will be limited to a small number of people or possibly even remaining in terms of Skype messages, telephone messages, Christmas cards and the internet," he said.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.
