The UK government’s announcement that three households of any size can spend five days together over the festive season without any social distancing whatsoever has filled scientists and public health experts with dismay. Many are predicting a third wave of the virus in January, undoing all the gains, and the pain, of the previous two lockdowns. Expect more infections, hospitalisations and deaths, they warn. Expect another lockdown.
It is understandable that the emotional toll of being on your own at Christmas may be a bridge too far for some people, already pushed to the brink after enduring nine months of limited social contact. No doubt, many will be weighing up the mental health benefits of a family gathering against their risk of contracting the coronavirus. That risk, unfortunately, also includes the prospect of long Covid which some long haulers – as those living with the phenomenon call themselves – have described as ‘a living death’.
There are, however, reasons to be hopeful that this awful virus, which has been the cause of so much suffering and devastating loss, is about to meet its nemesis. Vaccines from two more pharmaceutical companies look set to receive regulatory approval, after publishing promising Phase 3 trial data showing that their candidates are between 62% and 95% effective against the virus. The AstraZeneca Oxford University vaccine in particular showed a good immune response among older trial participants, which is important as the immune systems in the over 65s respond less well to vaccines.
With the imminent roll-out of at least one of these vaccines, surely it’s wiser to save the family meet-up for Easter, when the prevalence of Sars-CoV-2 will be lower because large chunks of the population will have been inoculated against it? Also, the weather will be warmer making it easier to meet outside. Hopefully, many families will conclude that it is simply not worth the risk before then, especially now that there is a potential end to the pandemic in sight.
Besides, what is so awful about watching an array of your favourite boxsets between making unlimited phone calls to your nearest and dearest who are also in the same boat? You can eat wonderful festive treats without having to do a huge mountain of washing up afterwards. You never know; you might even enjoy it.
