Ban on household mixing could last MONTHS but Gov working on desperate plan to save Christmas

A NATIONWIDE ban on household mixing may be on the cards to save Christmas, it has been suggested.

Ministers are considering what the rules might be replaced with after December 2, and officials have suggested they could be toughened up in some areas to save festive gatherings.

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Ministers have repeatedly stressed that the national shutdown will come to an end in law, but warned the "hard yards" of the draconian rules are unlikely to unlock all of England completely.

England is expected to be plunged back into a regional lockdown - known as Tiers - but it could be even tougher in order to release people for much-desired Christmas dinners.

People are currently banned from seeing others indoors as part of the national lockdown, but this could be extended into December to a nationwide ban.

No decisions are expected on the new system until next week at the earliest.

PHE director Dr Susan Hopkins set alarm bells ringing by saying that the lowest tier - with a 10pm curfew and the rule of six - was not working and would need to be beefed up.

It could mean even Brits in parts of the country with the lowest infection rates could face up to a household mixing ban after December 2 - which is the next level up from Tier 1.

And sources told Politico that a possible ban on indoor socialising would take place in the first few weeks of December.

The hope would be that cases could remain low enough that they could be eased over the festive period.

One source said the Government's scientific advisers were looking at how they could roll out "standalone" measures for a short window over Christmas to let people see their families.

But there are no guarantee yet.

Mr Jenrick told Times Radio the Government may be forced to ban indoor meetings over the winter.

He said: "We don't know that yet. 

"The hard yards that we've done in November were designed to enable most people in England to have a much more normal December so that we can go to the shops, we can use hospitality and, as far as possible, we can be together as families at Christmas.

"'It's too early to say the true impact of the new national measures because there's a lag time of two or three weeks, but hopefully by the end of November we'll be in a position to take that judgment."

And he said there was no decision yet on whether a Tier 4 would be needed.

Dr Hopkins said last night: "We see very little effect from Tier 1.

"When we look at what the Tiers may be in the future, we will have to think about strengthening them in order to get us through the winter months until the vaccine is available for everyone."

The PM's hope is that even stricter regional lockdowns in the the first part of December could push coronavirus cases down far enough that there could be a relaxation of measures over Christmas to save family dinners and get-togethers.

Advisers are trying to hammer out a plan to do this safely without causing a surge in cases - and eventually deaths.

It came as:

• A PHE chief raised the prospect of a ban on household mixing through the winter to keep transmission low
• Robert Jenrick suggested that supermarkets may be banned from selling alcohol after 9pm across the nation as part of the new tiers system
• Matt Hancock confirmed that 5million doses of the new Moderna vaccine had been secured - after it was found to be 94 per cent effective
• Boris Johnson sparked a furious row by saying devolution was a disaster and Tony Blair's "biggest mistake"
• Average positive coronavirus cases went up last week - but the Covid symptom app said cases were flatlining

The Health Secretary said last night it was "too early to know" if the current Covid restrictions have worked - and would only say he "hoped" to be able to return to the tiers system after lockdown.

Speaking this morning, the Housing Secretary warned that although lockdown will technically end, it won't spell a massive release of other regional measures.

Robert Jenrick told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We've always said that it's our hope and expectation that on December 2, the national measures will come to an end, in fact that's a matter of law.

"The tiers will reflect the different rates of the virus in different parts of the country, what we do want to see is a very significant easing - that was the purpose of going the hard yards in November."

Today top scientist Sir John Bell said he was hopeful that the "big efforts" underway to save the nation's Christmas would work.

He said: "I think there are real opportunities to use rapid turnaround lateral flow tests at scale to actually help manage the disease and keep this thing under control.

"I know they're big efforts to try and make that happen.

"So I'm optimistic that we won't have to go into the Christmas period in a lockdown. That would be a real problem in my view."

But Mr Jenrick warned that although pubs, restaurants and shops will "by and large" be able to open in December, measures will need to be "stiffer" in some places.

And the Housing Secretary admitted ramped up versions of the local lockdown tiers could bake in a 9pm booze ban like was in place in Nottinghamshire's Tier 3 before the national shutdown.

It would mean people would be unable to stock up on beer after leaving the pub.

Ministers have repeatedly said that people are less likely to social distance when they have been drinking, and indoor environments pose the biggest risk.