We know many of you will be keen to spend Christmas with your loved ones. The government has announced that up to three different households can meet indoors this Christmas season, anywhere in the UK, for up to five days. The meeting up period will run from 23 to 27 December only and does not extend past this date into the New Year.
The three households will be allowed to form a temporary “Christmas bubble”. They can mix indoors and stay overnight.
Bubbles will be allowed to meet each other:
- In each other’s homes
- At a place of worship
- In an outdoor public space, or garden
The bubbles will be fixed, so you will not be able to mix with two households on Christmas Day and then two different ones on Boxing Day – you must stay in your bubbles.
There will be no limit to the number of people in a household joining a bubble.
However, in England if you have formed a support bubble with another household that counts as one household, so you can join with two other households in a Christmas bubble.
People who are self-isolating should not join a Christmas bubble. If someone tests positive, or develops coronavirus symptoms up to 48 hours after the Christmas bubble last met, everyone will have to self-isolate.
This year has been tough for everyone and its good news that we are allowed some time to rest and reconnect this Christmas but it comes with a caution so we can continue to keep Merton safe:
- You should reduce unnecessary contact with people you do not live with as much as possible in the two weeks before you form your Christmas bubble.
- People should plan journeys carefully, prepare for restrictions on passenger numbers, and consider not travelling at all.
- Remember Hands, Face and Space while you are celebrating.
- Make sure you open windows and ventilate rooms as much as possible when you are mixing indoors with other households.
Read more on the government website.