Coronavirus: Matt Hancock appears to rule out hugging relatives at Christmas, saying people will need to observe social distancing

Health secretary also says there are ‘promising signs’ country is starting to see ‘flattening’ in Covid cases

Matt Hancock has insisted the government is working to allow “some joy” over the Christmas period, but appeared to suggest hugging relatives and friends will be advised against with social distancing rules remaining in place.

The health secretary said ministers were continuing to work with devolved administrations to deliver a UK-wide approach to the festive period, as reports suggest Boris Johnson is considering a temporary reprieve from some of the strictest restrictions.

Speaking to Times Radio, Mr Hancock said it will be important for all corners of the UK to have an “agreed set of rules over Christmas”.

“It’s about getting the balance right and about allowing people to have a Christmas which undoubtedly will be different this year but still try to have that cherished Christmas with your family as much as is possible.”

But he added: “We haven’t agreed yet a set of rules and a set of arrangements for Christmas but I’ve got no doubt that people will continue to respect social distancing throughout because that is so important for the control of the virus.”

The health secretary told BBC Breakfast that Christmas “won’t be fully normal”, adding “there will have to be rules, unfortunately, to keep the virus under control”.

Under current government advice on social distancing, people must stay two metres apart with people they do not live with and avoid physical contact. Where individuals cannot stay two metres apart, advice recommends one metre distance wearing face masks and ensuring rooms are ventilated.

Professor David Spiegelhalter also told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that advice from the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) that each day of relaxation of rules over the festive period could need five days of more strict restrictions “doesn’t sound implausible”.

He warned: “It’s quite plausible that a few days of relaxing would lead to tens of thousands of more cases and that means extra deaths and measures needed to bring those under control.

"There is a big difference though because when (we're told) we need to save lives, we don't know whose lives we're saving.

"If somebody though dies or is hospitalised after getting Covid at Christmas, you are going to know who they are and I think the potential regret in anticipation of that might make people really quite careful."

Speaking on Friday, Mr Hancock also suggested there are “promising signs” the country is starting to experience a “flattening” of coronavirus cases, as he claimed the country-wide restrictions are working to bring infections under control.

With just under a fortnight remaining of England’s lockdown, the health secretary said yesterday “we saw the first time the seven day average of cases coming down”, but insisted people still needed to follow the rules.

The prime minister is currently considering what restrictions will replace the lockdown when it expires on 2 December and whether to configure the three-tiered system to make measures more severe ahead of the Christmas holidays.

According to the latest government figures, as of 9am on Thursday, a further 22,915 lab-confirmed cases of Covid were recorded while 501 people died within 277 days of testing positive.

Pressed on whether the country would have to remain in lockdown on 2 December if cases aren’t falling, he said: “There are promising signs that we’ve seen a flattening of the number of cases since lockdown was brought in, and that is good news.

“Clearly there is further to go. Yesterday we saw for the first time the seven day average of cases coming down, and it’s been going up throughout this second peak.”

“I’m calling it a flattening rather than a fall because one swallow doesn’t make a summer. But these are promising signs that the lockdown is working to get the number of cases under control.

“Having said that, we still have 16,000 people in hospital with Covid right now so we still need all of us, collectively, to follow the rules and try to get things under control while we work on the vaccine and of course mass testing – both of which are making good progress.”