People who haven't been vaccinated against coronavirus are at far greater risk if they choose to hug next week, it's been warned.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said people will be able to exercise personal choice over social distancing from family and friends from May 17 in England.
That means people will be allowed to hug people from outside their household or bubble for the first time in 14 months.
But Mr Hancock admitted the risker for those who haven't had both jabs - which he said cut the risk of dying from Covid by 97%.
Sky News asked the Health Secretary if people should refrain from hugging if they have not been vaccinated yet.
He replied: "Well, if two people neither of them have been vaccinated then of course the risk of passing on the disease is much higher than if they have been vaccinated.
"Until now we’ve had blanket rules across the board but now what we’re saying, is with the prevalence of this disease so much lower than it was, we think trusting people’s personal responsibility is the right way to go.
"Because those who are most at risk from the disease, most at risk of ending up in hospital or dying, the vast vast majority of them are vaccinated."
Despite the warning, Mr Hancock hailed the change - which comes at the same time as a string of lockdown easings on Monday.
He said: "Grandparents sometimes for the first time in over a year will be able to be close to their grandchildren but of course taking into account the individual risk people have of catching this disease, which differs according to individual circumstances."
Guidance in place since March 2020 says people should stay two metres apart from anyone outside their household or bubble.
From May 17, the government will change this guidance for contact between family and close friends.
With a third of adults having both vaccine doses, people will instead be told they can choose whether to socially distance from people they are close to.
Importantly, the new hugging guidance is aimed at people meeting within legally-allowed group sizes - six indoors, 30 outdoors.
It does not apply to people from two different small gatherings hugging, or strangers hugging in the street or a pub.
Boris Johnson told a Downing Street press conference: “This doesn’t mean we can suddenly throw caution to the winds. In fact, more than a year into this pandemic we all know close contact such as hugging is a direct way of transmitting this disease.
“So I urge you to think about the vulnerability of your loved ones, whether they’ve had a vaccine, one or two doses, or whether there’s been time for that vaccine to take effect.
“Remember outdoors is always safer than indoors, and if you’re meeting indoors, remember to open a window and let in the fresh air.
“Keep getting tested regularly even if you don’t have symptoms so you don’t spread the virus without knowing it.”
