Near normal Christmas depends on controlling COVID now, UK health minister says

Commuters walk across the London Bridge during the morning rush hour, amid an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain September 21, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

Britain needs to control the coronavirus now in order for Christmas to be as normal as possible, health minister Matt Hancock said on Monday.

"The more we can control the virus now and stop the spread now, the easier it's going to be to have a Christmas that's as close to normal as possible," he said during an interview on ITV. "I really hope we can get there."

"If this runs out of control now, we'll have to take heavier measures in the future," he said.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Kate Holton, writing by Estelle Shirbon; editing by Costas Pitas)