It doesn't look likely people will be given to go-ahead to hug friends and relatives from other households this Christmas.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock appeared to rule out the possibility that social distancing rules will be removed for the festive season, which means even if households are allowed to meet up over Christmas, close contact will not be allowed.
In an interview broadcast on Times Radio, the health secretary said: “It’s about getting the balance right and allowing people to have a Christmas that undoubtedly will be different this year but still try to have that cherished Christmas with your family as much as possible.
“What we want to have is a set of rules that is, if at all possible, consistent across the four nations of the UK, not least because so many people travel to see their family at Christmas time, but also respects the fact that we must follow social distancing to keep the virus under control.
“I’ve got no doubt that people will continue to respect social distancing throughout, because we know that that is so important for full control of the virus.”
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Mr Hancock admitted Christmas "won't be fully normal" and "there will have to be rules, unfortunately, to keep the virus under control”.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today, Mr Hanock warned families not to make up their own rules this Christmas as they could unknowingly pass Covid-19 to others.
But he did say there are some signs the current lockdown is working.
Mr Hancock told Today: "There are promising signs that we have seen a flattening of the number of cases since lockdown was brought in and that is good news, though clearly there is further to go,” he said.
“I’m calling it a flattening rather than a fall because one swallow doesn’t make a summer, but there are promising signs that lockdown is working to get the number of cases under control.”
But Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said it is “still too early to tell” if the current lockdown will have the “consistent effect” needed.
In a blog post, he added: “There is a real risk that in our desire to celebrate Christmas, we swap a few days of celebration for the misery of a full third wave a few weeks later.”
